Raiden no Ai
by Melissa Norvell
Summary: COMPLETE A young girl is captured by the Thunder Brothers and is to meet a cruel fate. Can she find a way to aviod death? Pairings: HitenXOC Nominated for IY Fanguild's 2003 Best Alternate Pairing Award! Please R&R!
1. Hostage

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Hello, this chapter has been REVISED. For all of you who know the story, which means there are some things I have added and corrected. I hope you enjoy this better then the other crappy version.

NOTE: This takes place a little before the Thunder Brothers Arc in the anime/manga.

Raiden no Ai

Chapter 1: Hostage

She was barely conscious. She could barely feel the air flowing through her long, red hair as she seemed to be moving. It was like she was flying, as if she had wings. 

She was placed on something hard and wooden. She still lay there, motionless and still, she wasn't sure if she wanted to fight consciousness or give in to it's merciful grasp. She could faintly smell something brewing, it was unlike anything she's ever smelled. What was this strange mixture?

She slightly shifted to the right and opened her eyes a bit. She could see a blurry image of a dark toned room. A tiny noise escaped her mouth as she threw her arms behind her and woke up in surprise.

"Huh?!"

She looked around and saw a huge figure stirring a pot. Her eyes widened in fear. Where was she? Who was stirring that pot, and what for? The red haired maiden quietly backed up into a small dark corner. She had her back up to the wall and her knees bent, she buried her head in her arms. 

She wanted to go home, back to her friends and family, back to people who loved and cared for her. She couldn't return, her village had been destroyed, and everyone had died. The friends and family she so longed for were gone, they only existed in her mind. 

The figure turned around. 

"Hey, where did she go?" He asked as he scratched his balding head. 

This sent chills down her spine, she didn't know why she was there or what would become of her. Were they going to murder her? Or eat her...Perhaps they are a youkai, or something worse...She could only think of the inquisitions that plagued her mind,

The reptillian-esque figure lumbered around the room, in search of her. She buried her head in her arms again from her momentary stare. She shivered in dread in the dark corner, hoping he would not discover her. The young girl could hear herself gulp out of fear.

"I wonder where she's gone." He contemplated to himself. "She knows she can't escape..Ah.." He spied her sitting in the closet structure. She gasped lightly to herself as she squeezed her eyes shut. She felt a hand grab her by the kimono and pulled her up to his face. 

"Hello fair maiden, and what might your name be?" He sneered.

"My name is Akina..." She shivered. She could feel his warm breath on her face and hear his breathing pattern in its steady, quiet repetition.

"You'll make an excellent addition, " He said as he ran his hand through her long, red, vibrant hair. "Your hair is very beautiful."

"My hair?" She questioned faintly as she opened one eye. She looked at him, eyes filled with fear as she hung there, her features dangling slightly above the ground. Her body shuddering in fright.

The girl heard the almost silent creak of the door as another figure entered the room. What now? Akina stared at the door, awaiting this new presence to enter the room. The figure stepped fourth from the shadows. It was the stature of a young male, tall and strong. The youth carried a long staff with an oddly shaped blade at the end. He was also elaborately dressed with crimson eyes and 3 shards of a jewel embedded in his forehead. She stared wide eyed, he resembled a human! This was not what she had expected.

"Ah, Hiten, you have returned." His voice changed tone.

He acted so friendly towards this being, and not her, yet they seemed the same. Why? She wondered to herself as she stared at Hiten. He looked human enough, except for his eyes, which were a bright red in color.

"Anything happen while I was gone?"

Akina's eyes never left from Hiten. It was true she sought more comfort in looking at him then at looking at Manten.

** I found a young maiden for my hair potion!** Manten seemed to beam in happiness at his thought.

"Now my pretty vixen, I finally have an ingredient for my hair tonic. " The reptilian said lowly.

"Hair tonic?" Akina shivered. "Why don't you just cut my hair off instead? I would rather you take that then my life."

"Hm?" Manten's head slowly turned as he looked at her, sending the chills catapulting back up her spine. Akina's eyes lit up in fear.

"Wench!" Manten shouted as he violently shoved Akina to the floor. She landed with a thud against the cold, hard ground of the room. 

"Red hair, that's not a very common sight. Nevertheless, she is quite a beautiful woman." The other youkai remarked.

"If your hair is black, then why do you desire my red hair? Wouldn't you rather have a black haired maiden?" Akina asked, her voice quaking. 

Manten slowly turned around and looked at her once again. 

"And perhaps you know where one is?" He questioned. 

Akina looked at the cold, hard ground. She knew of a village full of young maidens, but if she told they would all die. If she did not tell, she would die. She contemplated to herself. Should she tell them? They were both staring at her, awaiting for an answer. 

"Well? Speak up!" Hiten commanded. I'm waiting."

The maiden flinched at his harsh voice, full of cruel intentions and malice.

"I can show you, if you promise not to hurt me, I'll do anything you wish." Akina said in defeat, the two brothers smiled in triumph.

Hiten grabbed her wrist tightly, almost cutting off circulation.

"You shall show us then." He said, throwing her into Manten, who gripped her shoulder and drug her outside. She made no attempt to struggle. The elder brother grabbed the Rageki-jin from the old wooden table and followed his brother out of the door, on their way to destroy another innocent village and rob it of their fair maidens.

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Well, it's done, the chapter revisions, tell me how you like it if you want, leave a review. I've been correcting this fic a lot, i do want it to sound good.


	2. Helpless and Desprate

Do do do Here is chapter 2. If anyone's still reading ^_^;  
  
Raiden no Ai  
  
Chapter 2: Helpless and Desperate  
  
Akina sat atop Manten's storm cloud, frightened and nervous. She kept a grip on Manten. the red haired maiden was afriad that if she let go, she would plumment to her death. The wind was blowing quickly though her hair. The girl gazed around her, seeing the miniaturized roof tops of buildings and tiny tree tops that adorned the land. The view was quite pretty from so high up, but her feelings wouldn't let her enjoy it.. The girl's conscience and fear for others lives kept her from enjoying it. As she gazed to the side she could see Hiten, who was flying through the air with grace on his wheels of fire. He seemed to be having more fun getting there then anything else. How could one seem so carefree about killing others?  
  
"Do you mind?" Manten asked.  
  
"Huh?" Akina reverted her sights back to him.  
  
"You don't have to bury your nails in my skin, I assure you, you won't fall. You should be lucky your not dead already." He snorted.  
  
Akina looked down and loosened her grip. She returned her gaze to the houses below that seemed to pass slowly by as if one was riding in a carriage. The girl couldn't believe that she was doing this. Thousands of people were about to die, and it was all because of her. She had been so selfish, considering her life over a thousand others, but what options did she have at the time? How was she supposed to react?  
  
"We're here..." she said quietly to Manten, as they came to a stop.  
  
"So this is it huh?" Hiten said as he came to an abrupt stop. "Come on Manten, let's go!"  
  
"Right." Manten nodded in agreement as they dove down upon the village like hungry vultures on unsuspecting prey. Manten landed a few feet on the outskirts while Hiten attacked head on. Manten sat Akina down on the ground.  
  
"I'll give you fair warning. If you run, Hiten and I will kill you along with the others. If I were you, I'd remain at my spot until we return." Manten lumbered away.  
  
"What have I done?" Akina asked hopelessly, tears welling up in her eyes. "Everyone is going to die and it's all my fault..."  
  
Akins heard a faint explosion. Screams of pure anguish and agony rang throught the ail as it filled with their haunting song, like banshees wailing in the night. Akina gasped as she heard their screams. The seemed to echo through her head. She covered her ears, but she could still hear the blood curdling screams. She curled into a fetal position and wept to herself as Hiten and Manten destroyed the town and all around it. They slaughtered everyone, women, men, children, animals, warriors and commonfolk alike, all were dead and their village blasted to the ground. She could hear the malice in their voices and their evil laughter echoing though out the lands, as she covered her face and wept, her tears falling into the dry, gritty dirt. She was powerless to do anything, and she could not run. If she did run, they would find her again and kill her. If she tried to stop them, her fate would be the same. She remembered Manten's words...  
  
"You should be lucky your not dead already."  
  
It was true, she should be lucky. Why did they keep her around? She supposed she should be happy that she wasn't dead....Or should she? Was living in torment better then the silent call of death?  
  
Two figures approached her, it was Hiten and Manten. She looked up from her position and saw them.  
  
"I can't believe she didn't leave. " Manten said in amazement. He thought that she would surely have fled while the village had been destroyed. Everyone was dead....Everyone....Where could she go? Why would she go? What compelled her to stay? Perhaps it was because she thought her death would be more brutal if she had tried to escape.  
  
"Get up." She heard Hiten's blunt, commanding voice ring. She rose up slowly to her feet, crystal tears running down her face.  
  
"Stop crying!" Hiten shouted again.  
  
Akina wiped her tears with the sleeves of kimono and sniveled. She looked at them and received nothing. No sympathy for what she was dealing with, no comfort, no kind words. Only rough touch and cold stares. They had been so cold. Not like any human entity, and they seemed to lack a heart in general. Cold, unmoving, empty. Emptiness. This is what she could feel from them. Malice and hatred, pure evil seemed to seep through their bodies. She received no love here. The kindest word she had been called was wench. Though she said her name aloud, they did not care. She was not an individual to them, she was just some mortal girl. A girl with no name and no identity. She would have to bend and put up with them or die. What options were left? She was powerless to stop them. She was weak. Weak and defenseless.  
  
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Akina sat on the cold, hard ground in fear and dread. She could hear the screams echo in her head. She could hear the pit pat of shoes walking around that cold, drab building and the evil laughter of the two brothers. Akina felt utter despair. She wanted to die, and felt as if she would if she didn't get out. She had witnessed everyone in the village's death. Surely they would not let her go now. Akina looked miserable, sitting there, drowning in her own sorrow.  
  
Hiten entered the room and momentarily glanced at her.  
  
"Why don't you get up and start feeling grateful we spared you?" He asked coldly.  
  
Akina's head rose and she set her sights upon the youthful youkai. She rose to her feet and sighed.  
  
"Well," Hiten said impatiently. "You going to stand there or what?"  
  
".........." Akina didn't respond to Hiten. He walked up to her, tall and proud and bumped her shoulder with his chest. She stood there, submissively. How could she not? He didn't have to be beside her for her to know that he was imtimidating. She was miserable. The thunder youkai looked down upon her.  
  
"I don't know where to go..." Akina trailed aimlessly, threatening tears.  
  
"Then you can follow me around." Hiten ordered, crudely pushing her infront him and forcing her to walk. Akina plodded slowly infront of him, like a marionette, responding to his every move. She entered the next room and sat at the old wooden table and stared at the Rageki-jin, looking at her reflection, distorted in the blade.  
  
"Want me to polish your weapon?" She asked. She received a cold stare from Hiten.  
  
"You honestly think I'm going to do something to you? If I did I'd just get murdered violently by Manten." Akina sighed.  
  
"Fine then, you'd better do a good job. " Hiten sneered.  
  
Akina walked over and got a small rag and took the Rageki-jin in her arms. She began to rub gently on the blade of the Rageki-jin, and sat quietly as she shined the Rageki-jin, being careful not to scratch it and upset Hiten further.  
  
Hiten and Manten stood in the next room talking to one another silently. Akina could hear faint mumbles and low laughter from the other room.  
  
"So, do you think I should eat her An-chan?" Manten questioned.  
  
"I think I'll keep her around a while. She's like a mindless slave, I think she shall prove promising." Hiten told his brother to whom he bore no resemblance.  
  
Hiten and Manten returned to the room, where the young red haired girl sat upon her knees and the Rageki-jin lay horizontally at her knees on the floor. It looked brand new and shone like a finely polished sword. Hiten looked a bit surprised, his eyes widened slightly and his eye brows rose, a frown still hanging upon his face. He had been impressed with her work. He picked up the Rageki-jin and examined it. There were no less impuriteis than before, and it even looked better than it ever had. He looked at it and gazed at his own reflection in the blade.  
  
"I can always do it again, if you don't like it." She finally said in a small voice.  
  
"She aims to please." Manten said lowly.  
  
"No, this is fine." Hiten looked at her, slightly amazed at her work. Akina let out a small sigh.  
  
"Come and eat with us, Akina." Hiten smirked as he turned to walk into the kitchen area. Akina arose and followed obediently. Why? Why had she been prolonging death? She felt as if she wanted it, she could have easily killed herself with Rageki-jin when she had the chance, so why didn't she?  
  
Akina walked into the kitchen, there was no food there. Hiten sat at the table and laid one arm upon the tabletop.  
  
"I suppose I am to cook." Akina said.  
  
"Since you offered." Hiten huffed.  
  
"What would you like?" Akina asked, hoping for it to not be anything too strange. After all, she did not feel like frying up a human for the malicious brothers. She had witnessed enough for one day and did not want to be pushed over the edge. Luckily Hiten gave her a small refrain.  
  
"Whatever dish you can prepare the best."  
  
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There is the end of chapter 2. R&R and tell me how I'm doing. Am I bad, good, or you can just say something outrageously stupid I don't care as long as I get a review. I love to read them and they make me feel good if I write a good fic, if not they tell me how to improve. And thank you to my beta reader, Jazzy! ^_^  
  
This chapter has also been revised. 


	3. Alone with Them

If your still reading, I know I'm doing a good job, if not, then oh well. Guess I'll just finish the fic won't I? Then I won't write another one like it.  
  
Raiden no Ai  
  
Chapter 3: Alone with Them  
  
Akina looked at Hiten with a look that was thankful that she didn't have to cook a human. She slightly smiled at the thunder youkai. The red haired maiden turned and began to get out a few ingredients to prepare her dish. She hoped that they would like her food. She had learned to expect the worst from the two of them. The girl was not dealing with normal people after all, she was dealing with potentially lethal, bloodthirsty youkai who devoured young maidens.  
  
Akina began to prepare the dish in the kitchen, being very careful of what she was doing. She was overly careful and it caused her to become nervous. Akina had all of the ingredients she needed. If she didn't they could always go out and rob an unsuspecting village. There were faint smells coming from the room.  
  
"Ouch!"  
  
The red haired girl had burned herself on the hot cooking area. She tried to calm herself before she made any more mistakes and calmed down partially, but not fully.  
  
Manten sniffed the air.  
  
"Something smells good." He said.  
  
Akina walked out of the room and called out to the to malicious brothers. Hiten and Manten sat at the table as plates of food had been presented before them. There was an abundance of food, enough so that Hiten didn't think he could eat it all, Manten on the other could, after all, he was twice as big as Hiten. Akina stood with her hands clasp together, watching the hungry youkai eat their fill.  
  
"This is delicious!" Manten said happily. "What matter of food is this?"  
  
"Where did you learn to cook like this?" Hiten asked.  
  
"My father was a warrior, I would cook for him and his friends after a hard battle and polish their weapons." Akina said, " My purpose was to bring joy and comfort to weary warriors, and to care for my younger sisters."  
  
It was her purpose, it would become her new one. She had spared herself this long, but how long could she last with the cruel Raijuu brothers? Every day feared for her life and everynight she slept, wondering if she would live to see the next day. She would wake up hoping to die. She actually was wondering why they had let her live this long.  
  
As night fall crept in it became time for the muderous thunder youkai to settle down. After 2 night assaults on villages, they needed a good night's rest. Manten was already passed out on the floor, Akina sat on the wooden bench and stared at the monstrous reptile who slumbered gently on the floor. She gazed across the room to Hiten, who was sitting against the wall, the Rageki-jin laid across his left shoulder and his sights set on her. No doubt he was watching her to see if she would leave. Akina sighed as she sat on the bench. The young girl sat there for what seemed to be an hour. Hiten was still staring at her, like a hawk on unsuspecting prey. Akina gently slid down and sat on the floor beside of Manten. She backed up to give Manten rolling and moving space. She lay in the floor and curled up in a ball for warmth.  
  
The ground was cold and the air was frigid. She lay there, in an uncomfortable slumber, trying to keep warm and sleep at the same time. Akina opened her eyes and shivered to herself. The young girl sat up and rubbed her eye, she rose to her feet and started to walk into the next room. Then she walked past the slumbering Hiten, but failed to noticed the Rageki-jin's rod-like base that veered into her path. She tripped over it and landed with a thud on her stomach.  
  
Hiten's eyes popped open and Manten rolled over and mumbled to himself.  
  
"Where in the hell do you think your going?" Hiten's voice growled.  
  
"I'm cold." Akina sat up and held her side. "I was just looking for a blanket...Sorry.."  
  
She looked diagonally downward.  
  
"Come here." Hiten's commanding voice said yet again, in more of a low, semi tired tone. He didn't want to wake Manten. Akina crawled over to him and sat by him, leaving a few inches of space between them.  
  
"That's not close enough.."  
  
Akina scooted in, now she was brushing up against Hiten's rock hard arm. She could feel his presence. Maliciousness, savage and satanically evil. Every time she was in the presence of one of the youkai brothers, she felt her fear rise. Hiten's body provided little warmth to Akina. She was trying to touch him as little as possible. She feared him. He looked at her with his blood red eyes, crimson and beautiful.  
  
"You will stay in this spot, if you are not touching me, I'll wake up, if you rolled over then I will not mind it, but if you've left, I will hunt you down and kill you." With those words Hiten closed his eyes, and went back to sleep.  
  
Akina looked at Hiten, he was asleep. She noticed that their arms were touching. She stared at it for a while, she sighed lightly once more. She made a face of agony, as she leaned in on Hiten and put her head on his shoulder. She did not want him to kill her, so she would make sure she was touching him. He did manage to keep her mind off of being cold. His body provided some warmth for her. The young girl found herself laying closer to him and could feel his body lightly heaving with his slow, gentle breath. She slept silently by his side.  
  
Sleep was her best time, she could sleep and not worry about people killing her, she didn't have to worry about the chains of despair and the ties of life holding her down. She could go anywhere she desired in her dreams. Far away from the cold, dark building and far away from the murderous thunder youkai. She would have freedom.  
  
Her happy dreams soon faded into those with agony and suffering. She could hear the haunting screams of the villagers, being cast to the black realm of hell and heard their calls and yells, and saw their village set a blaze. She could see them through the blaze, their faces twisted in smiles of malice and pure evil seeping through their very being. Bloodshed and lives lost. Villages are gone children and animals, the pure innocence savagely killed by their merciless claws.  
  
Flashbacks of ones who were loved. Flashbacks of people of her town, friends, acquaintances and strangers alike. Was it so much that she walked down the street and people greeted her with phrases like "Hello Akina" or "Konnochiwa minna-san" or "Ohayo"? Now they would address her as a murderer. She was no better then they. Everyone in the village would surely hate her for her actions, if anyone has escaped their treacherous death.  
  
Hiten opened his eyes to see the young red haired girl in a fitful sleep. She moved restlessly against him.  
  
"Mmpf.." Hiten let out a moan as he awoke. He slowly opened his eyes as he spied the red haired girl laying on his shoulder, twitching in her dreams and making small faces of unease.  
  
Hiten stared at her slumbering face. Her soft, delicate features glistened in the sunlight. His glances move over to Manten who rolled over as he woke up, adjusting to the fuzziness of sleep.  
  
"Ohayo, An-chan." He rubbed his eyes. " I see the girl is still here after all. I thought surely she would have left by now."  
  
"I forced her to stay by me when I caught her up last night. She said she was cold. I didn't care so I told her if she moved from this spot again I'd kill her." Hiten told his brother.  
  
"I see." Manten replied, eyeing the sleeping maiden. " It's strange how she has had so many chances to leave, but yet she still stay here with us. She doesn't fight back or anything like our normal captures."  
  
There's definitely somthing about her..." Hiten said, looking down at Akina.  
  
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There is chapter 3. ^_^ R&R! As always 


	4. Aida

Raiden no Ai  
  
Chapter 4: Aida  
  
The sun shown brightly outside and the sky was adorn with puffy white clouds. It's UV rays peering through the window of the drab structure, seeming to illuminate the once dark room. Hiten put a hand on Akina's shoulder and shook her lightly.  
  
"Wake up."  
  
"Stop..." Akina mumbled subconsciously.  
  
"What!? Wake the hell up!" Hiten shook her violently. Akina let out a small scream.  
  
"AH! Leave me alone! Stop it! I don't want to be with you!"  
  
Hiten made a momentarily puzzled face as he grabbed her shoulders and shook her making her head rock back and fourth.  
  
"What the hell is wrong with you, woman?"  
  
Akina cracked her eyes open as she could see a blurred image of Hiten's face. Crimson eyes staring her. The image cleared and she soon realized who is was and shrunk back in fear. Hiten was slightly annoyed at let go of her shoulders.  
  
"Well, good morning love."  
  
She heard another voice. This was not the voice of any person she's heard so far. It was very feminine and almost seductive sounding. A beautiful woman strolled into the room. She was a youkai as well. She wore what seemed to be a long skirt. Her hair was long, slightly wavy and black as a raven's feather, adorned with a pink ribbon. She wore much jewelry, a necklace and many bracelets. She wore a dark mulberry colored eye shadow and had very pale skin. She wore no top, the only thing that was there was a live snake who wrapped itself around her full, perky breasts.  
  
She crossed her arms and leaned up against the door as she opened her golden eyes and looked at the fire haired maiden.  
  
"I see you have a capture." She purred.  
  
She calmly walked over and knelt down to Akina.  
  
"What might your name be?" She cocked her head.  
  
"My name is Akina..." She trailed, staring into her mesmerizing eyes.  
  
"I'm Aida." She responded as she gently stroked her pet snake's head.  
  
Aida sits at the table beside of Hiten, with her hand on his shoulder. Hiten smiled happily at her.  
  
"How are you this morning, Hiten-sempai?" She asked, as she rested her head on Hiten's shoulder and closed her eyes as she sighed to herself.  
  
Manten sat at the table.  
  
"Well, wench?" Manten said, slamming his fist down on the hard table top, making the surface of the table vibrate and shake under his blow. There was a small cracking noise that the old table top made. "I'm hungry! Get to it!"  
  
Akina went into the kitchen once more and began to go to work. This time she was more efficient in her actions making her human dishes. She was surprised that the youkai like her human food. She should be happy that they had not feasted upon her....Shouldn't she? She sighed to herself again, as she chopped up the herbs to put in the soup she was making.  
  
She walks into the room where Hiten, Aida and Manten were all laughing at what seemed to be a friendly joke. She looked at Aida and Hiten, she made a small sigh to herself and looked sad as she saw Hiten with his arm around Aida as they looked so happy together. She walked solemnly into the room carrying three small glasses of tea. She sits one infront of each youkai.  
  
"What is this?" Aida asked, as she picked up the cup and stared into it, examining the mahogany liquid that swirled around in the cup in an aura of shades and tones of color.  
  
"It's tea." Akina replied shyly. "It's really good, I promise. "  
  
"You should drink it Aida-chan. " Manten said as he took a sip. "She makes excellent food."  
  
She had been happy for that instant. At least someone liked her cooking. She was glad to hear a compliment, if even a small one. Manten seemed to be the only one who ever did compliment her. It was he who had told her cooking was magnificent last time.  
  
**Thanks Manten..** She thought to herself with a sad smile.  
  
She returned to the room and gathered the plates she had prepared. She brought them in to the three youkai, who were sipping the tea she had made. She set the table again with the abundance of food. The four of them ate, the youkai ate the special dishes she had created for them, and she sat a few feet from Manten eating a small bowl of rice. She would occasionally glance over and see the three of them laughing maliciously to one another, and sometimes it seemed they were having great fun.  
  
"Manten, you have curry on your face." Aida giggled.  
  
"Huh?" Manten stopped eating and wiped his face, smearing it instead of ridding his face from it. "There."  
  
Aida and Hiten were cracking up. Akina glanced over and gave a light chuckle, then went back to eating her rice. As she finished she could hear their voices of laughter. Manten was confused at what they had been laughing at and Aida and Hiten seemed to think it was hilarious that Manten wiped soy sauce all over his face. At times, the three of them seemed to get along like family, at others they were at each others throats. Youkai will be youkai, she supposed as she picked up the plates and went to wash them.  
  
As she was cleaning the dishes, she could hear them talking amongst themselves. She picked up parts of conversations, but she seemed to mostly hear Manten, because of his deep voice. Hiten and Aida seemed like they were whispering most of the time, until they audibly said something. It seemed that they were taking a reprieve today. That was always a good sign for her. No villages would be blasted to the ground, no one would be hurt. This also meant she had the whole day to spend with the three of them. How she dreaded that. She would walk around aimlessly and be called wench all day. She'd also have to listen to her life being threatened if she blinked wrong. She put the last dish up and walked back into the room where the others stared at her.  
  
"Manten was right." Aida said, breaking the silence. " You cook human food quite well."  
  
"Thank you." Akina replied smally.  
  
"We're not doing anything today, you can all relax." Hiten told Akina.  
  
What a relief that was!  
  
"Can I go outside and sit on the porch?" She asked.  
  
"Do what you want, but you'd better come back." Hiten snarled.  
  
"Ok, I promise I will."  
  
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Tadaa, there is chapter 4. As always R&R! *Wonders if anyone will read this or if she is just wasting her time* 


	5. With Him

Here is chapter 5. Will I ever run out of ideas? I hope not.  
  
Raiden no Ai  
  
Chapter 5: With Him  
  
Akina opened the door. It creaked slowly. The sun shown so bright that it felt as if she was blinded by it's rays. She shielded her eyes as they adjusted to the outside. Everything looked so beautiful. The air was crisp and clean, the birds sang their beautiful songs and all was peaceful. She was free for a moment and it was enjoyment with unease. She stayed on the porch, since she did not want to be killed for trying to run. If she were indeed free, then she would have went to pick wildflowers in the nearby field. She was just happy to see the outside world after being stuck in the building so long.  
  
She heard the door creak and the sound of soft cloth shoes walking on the wooden structure of the porch. It was Hiten.  
  
Hiten.  
  
Akina turned to see the thunder youkai, standing proud and tall. The sunlight illuminating his figure. His face held in a slight smirk that seemed rather charming. His body was powerful, and finely chiseled. It certainly looked as if he'd fought his way to the top. His long raven hair glistened in the sun, as if it were silk. Hiten walked up a few steps and sat beside the red-haired girl, who's gaze quickly turned to the frontal position.  
  
Hiten was sitting rather close to her, then she felt the same fear as she always had. She could not blame herself, hell it seemed sometimes even Aida and Manten were afraid of him, and their relations were surely better then hers. She gazed at him from the corner of her eye. He looked a little tired, no doubt from staying up all night keeping an eye on her. Akina leaned back and lay down on the wooden surface of the porch and put her arms behind her head. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could hear the quiet rustle of Hiten's clothes as he gently laid beside of her.  
  
"You should be tired wench." He yawned.  
  
Akina opened her eyes and gazed at the sky.  
  
"It's such a beautiful day." She smiled.  
  
"I hate the sun."  
  
"Well, what kind of weather do you like?" Akina asked.  
  
"Why do you care?"  
  
"Just curious." Akina rolled over to look at Hiten. She laid her head in her arm and lay on her side. The sun felt warm against the skin. Hiten lay on his back with his arms behind his head and his eyes closed, basking in the warm rays.  
  
"If you really want to know, I like stormy weather." Hiten rolled over, his eyes still closed. His long braid swung over his shoulder and landed in the place in between them. Akina gazed down at it. Hiten opened his eyes a bit. Then he opened them fully.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing.."  
  
"I don't believe you."  
  
"Why am I not surprised?"  
  
Hiten glared at her with an irritated expression.  
  
"I was wondering...Why you spared me..." Akina looked at the old wooden porch. "Is it because I can cook and polish your weapons? Or is it because I can lead you to villages? Maybe both."  
  
"Hmpf." Hiten closed his eyes again.  
  
Akina let out a sigh, tears welled up in her eyes.  
  
"Stop your crying." Hiten said slightly above a whisper. "Be happy your alive."  
  
He could hear the faint sniveling of the young maiden, and it began to agitate him. He made a huffing noise and moves quickly over her, pinning her to the ground.  
  
"Look, if your not going to shut up you can go inside." His eyes burned with anger from lack of sleep and annoyance. Akina shrunk back and gasped in fear. Her eyes glisten with it, and this made Hiten smirk. He fed on fear's very essence. The anger in his eyes slowly subsided. Akina had no idea of what to say to the young, strapping youkai.  
  
"Um...This...Doesn't look right.." She managed to say, like Hiten cared.  
  
"So...?" Hiten said, his voice seemed calm as he glared into her eyes. Those deep chocolate eyes that radiated with fear.  
  
"I..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"............"  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Well, what?"  
  
"Tell me what you were going to say?"  
  
"I don't know what to think." Akina's eyes reverted from Hiten's gaze. She couldn't bear to look at him. The more she stared into those crimson eyes, the more her feelings would change. She would think to herself how good he looked and even forget he was her enemy and he had almost wanted to eat her.  
  
Hiten gazed at the red haired maiden who lay in fear. She was beautiful, more so then any youkai. More so then Aida...  
  
"You've been really helpful to us. I'm surprised that you'd be willing to give up your humanity to keep your life." Hiten's voice seemed calm and friendly. Akina's gaze reverted back to Hiten.  
  
"Yes," Her voice quaked. "And I'll help you more if I have to." Akina seemed to loose control over her voice and found herself talking barely above a whisper. Her voice cooed to Hiten. "I'll do whatever you want, for I cannot return to them."  
  
"So tired.." She heard Hiten barely say as his body gently sunk into hers. She could feel his warm aura take over hers, power seeping through his being. She could feel hi body lightly heaving with every breath. The youkai was heavy against her, but for some odd reason, she didn't seem to mind. She could feel his warmth and she sighed in contentment. Her cheeks turned a light shade of pink in embarrassment. She could feel his warm breath on her neck as he slept. It sent chills down her spine. She placed her hand gently on the back of his head, stroking his ebony hair with its silk qualities. She put her arm around his strong neck and lay there, looking at the sun. She felt an odd sort of comfort coming from the closeness of their bodies.  
  
Her heart began to flutter, but she would deny that it did. She could not go soft on the mighty thunder youkai, he had killed everyone she had known, and her family. How could she possibly fall for him? He had no feelings. He was cold and vicious, unlike her. She was full of feelings, and he had next to none.  
  
She still lay there, motionless. How could she move? Her eyes began to grow heavy, as she had not had much sleep that night either. She closed her eyes and let the heavy sleep consume her. They had both succumbed to sleep, their bodies pressed together, as if they were there. They lay there, in a blissful sleep, sharing each other's warmth and enjoying the fresh, gentle breeze of the mid day air and warm rays of the sun.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
~~~~~Ah, yet another chapter complete. More to come! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
^_^ Hope you enjoyed! Please R&R! I hope this is pleasing someone out there, LOL. 


	6. Summer Sunset

Here we go. Here is chapter 6. ^_^;  
  
Raiden no Ai  
  
Chapter 6: Summer Sunset  
  
She lay there with Hiten on top of her like a lead weight, enabling her to move. She slumbered lightly. She could feel his slight shifting and slow, gentle breathing with an occasional low moan. When he turned his head, his long silken braid fell gently to his side. Her arm pressed lightly around his well muscled neck. Her other arm lay bent and flung back on the hard, wooden surface of the porch. Slightly below her hand was Hiten's, it gently caressed her wrist.  
  
She could feel Hiten's warm, soft breath hitting her neck at a slow pace. She felt his leg slowly slip in-between hers, dragging a bit of her kimono with it as it lay gently on the edge of the porch, protruding into the air. She heard Hiten moan and shift slightly. She opened her eyes slowly as she saw his face contort. He was waking up. Suddenly, the fear began to stir up inside of her. She liked him better when he was sleeping.  
  
Slowly a small yellow butterfly fluttered and landed on the back of his head. Akina remained still and she felt his body seem to come to life once more. Akina let out a small gasp as her eyes widened and sparkled with fear in the sunlight. She felt Hiten's grip push down on her arm as he sluggishly arose.  
  
His weight on her arm hurt, but she only made a small face in agony. She had been through worse. Being slammed on the floor by Manten was worse then that. She felt the pressure being lifted off and she could feel her body inflate itself and winced at the pain.  
  
She gazed at Hiten's sleepy face, wondering what he would do to her. Hiten's eyes opened half way, then fully.  
  
"Hn?"  
  
Akina stared into his calm, red eyes in fright.  
  
"What are you doing, wench?!" Hiten asked as he shrunk back in surprise, almost falling off of the porch.  
  
"Um...You were threatening me, and you were so tired you just passed out on top of me..." She trembled. Hiten sat up and looked at her. This wasn't a look of malice or hatred. It was, in fact, a kinder look. At least, not completely kind. More like calm, but not exactly happy.  
  
Akina slowly sat up. There was enough space between them for Manten to sit. They stared at each other for a while, neither of them seeming to show any emotion about the other. The yellow butterfly had ventured from Hiten's head to Akina's kimono. She gazed down upon it. It was flapping it's wings wearily as it crawled slowly and eventually it stopped with it's dusty yellow wings laid to it's sides.  
  
"So." Hiten began.  
  
"Yes, Hiten?" She asked.  
  
"What's your name?" Hiten asked.  
  
"Imasu Akina." Akina raised her head up and stared at Hiten.  
  
"I see."  
  
" Can I ask a question?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Are you going to kill me? Or perhaps let me live?" Akina became saddened. " It's not like it matters, I cannot return. They'll know I am a killer..."  
  
"Is it such a bad thing?" Hiten cut her off.  
  
"It is when you are a human." Akina replied. "I live in guilt, knowing that I have slain one thousand people to spare my own life. A river filled with human tears could not bring them back and could only measure to how I feel about this course of events."  
  
"Why would you cry for them?" Hiten asked. "They are just a bunch of filthy humans who didn't care about you."  
  
"But..."  
  
Akina's words were cut off by a glare that seemed to say, "I'm not finished talking. Shut up." Akina did so and did not want to trial the youkai's anger.  
  
"You think that they wouldn't have shoved you in front of them, telling us to take you and spare their own lives?" Hiten asked.  
  
"I don't know..." Akina looked down. She didn't know anything about what had happened that day. All she knew was at one instance she felt as if she was flying upside down. She remembered waking up, seeing Manten stirring his hair potion. She tried to hide from him, but he found her, and so started her relationship with the mighty Raijuu brothers.  
  
Hiten, on the other hand knew what had happened that day. The people of the village gave her up. They told them that she was the most beautiful maiden in the village and they could have her as long as they were not harmed. Of course Hiten was not one to keep that promise and lied to them, destroying the village afterwards. Akina was the only survivor.  
  
She sits there, saddened by their death, but they cared nothing for her. Why would they give her up so willingly if they did? Surely they would have put up a fight.  
  
Akina was clueless as to what actually happened. She could only have a little hunch or assumption about what had happened that fateful day when she was in the grasp of the Raijuu brothers. She didn't take her gaze off of Hiten. Why did she care about them so? They are already dead and she cannot turn back the past. She should get over it, but her guilt would not let her. She knew that she couldn't do anything about it, but she felt as if she took full responsibility for what happened to them.  
  
"I don't know why I care, Hiten. Perhaps my conscience is getting the better of me." She trailed. "Hiten..."  
  
"What?" Hiten responded, looking out of the corner of his eye at her.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Akina, I don't know why, but I look at you as more then a captive. I don't think I'll kill you, but you must do as I say." Hiten was not looking at Akina.  
  
"Oh, Domo Arigato Hiten-sempai!" She beamed.  
  
"Hiten-What?" Hiten asked, wrinkling his face at the comment. No human had ever called him that. Akina looked normal. She hadn't realized what she had said.  
  
"What do you mean Hiten what?" She asked.  
  
"You called me Hiten-sempai." He said, looking very confused.  
  
"That's funny. I don't remember calling you that." Akina stated, looking into Hiten's eyes. Their crimson beauty swirled around in confusion.  
  
"You sure?" She asked again.  
  
"What?! How dare you ask me that!"  
  
"I'll take that as a yes." She said nervously as Hiten growled.  
  
"Hmpf..." Hiten smiled arrogantly.  
  
Time passed as the day went on and Hiten and Akina became semi-friendly towards each other. At least Hiten was calling Akina by her proper name, and strangely so, it lifted some of her fears. The end of the day was approaching, and the sky had become red-orange with the sun setting in the background. Akina gazed at the sky with its' fiery shades of orange and red.  
  
"The sky is so beautiful." Akina said as she leaned against of the pillars that supported the structure of the building. Hiten was leaning against the other one.  
  
"Yeah it reminds me of all of the villages Manten and I have destroyed." He said, putting his arms behind his head.  
  
"Yeah..." Akina replied with little enthusiasm.  
  
Hiten looked back at her. He didn't act badly when he was by himself, and now that she had talked to him alone. He was actually not as harsh as he seemed. Hiten arose and walked over to Akina, his cloth shoes making the floor of the porch creak. He sat beside her, their bodies almost touching. Akina and Hiten turned to look at each other at the same time. Their eyes met. Akina gave Hiten a slight smile and turn of her head.  
  
"Watch the sunset with me?" She asked.  
  
"I've got nothing else better to do." He shrugged.  
  
"It's so comforting..." Akina said.  
  
"Yes, the sun sinking down, letting darkness take over, just as the storm clouds block the suns rays as they come fourth and consume the land in a whirl of rain, lightning and thunder." Hiten said.  
  
"Darkness that consumes everything, even one's life." Akina said sadly.  
  
Hiten looked back at Akina.  
  
"Are you saying that because of me?" Hiten asked.  
  
"I thought you didn't care how I felt?" Akina asked.  
  
"I was just asking, give me a break." Hiten huffed.  
  
"Ok, I will give you a break Hiten. Besides you did spare me, so I should be happy, right?" Akina smiled.  
  
"You owe me." Hiten smirked.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*  
  
Here we go, done with another chapter! R&R! 


	7. Hot Springs

Chapter 7. Yay! This is coming along pretty good ^^ Why are you still here? Start reading!  
  
Raiden no Ai  
  
Chapter 7: Hot Springs  
  
As the two sat together, enjoying the sunset Aida opened the door and walked out onto the porch.  
  
"Would you like to go to the hotsprings before we go off to battle tomorrow?" Aida asked.  
  
"Sounds like an idea to me." Hiten rose up and faced Aida. "Lets go then."  
  
Akina rose up and stood in the grass, slightly off of the porch. Aida looked at Akina as Manten walked out.  
  
"Any specific hot spring in mind?" Akina asked.  
  
"There is one near here, it's very private and scerene. No one will bother us there." Aida responded.  
  
"I see. I need to take a bath, I haven't taken one since I've been here." Akina said nervously.  
  
"I'll take you there. " Hiten said as he then looked at Aida and Manten. "Manten and Aida can follow and I'll take Rageki-jin, just incase we run into any trouble."  
  
Hiten went into the drab building and brought out the shining Rageki-jin that Akina had polished. The blade reflected the light so brilliantly that it blinded the eyes. Hiten wrapped his arm around Akina's waist as they floated up into the air. Akina could feel his tight grip around her as the wind blew in her hair. She could feel his body against hers and smiled to herself. Manten and Aida rode on the puffy black storm cloud and followed Hiten who flew at normal speed, doing everything he would if he had not had someone to carry. Hiten's wild method of flight frightened Akina, so she gripped Hiten's waist tightly as they flew through the air with ease. Manten and Aida slowly crept after.  
  
They reached the hot springs, and Hiten landed with Akina while Manten's black cloud dissipated as he and Aida landed. They looked around at the hot springs. It was truly a beautiful place. The water appeared milky white and steam rose off it. It almost appeared like fog above the warm waters. The rocks were grey and dark against the water, which was perfectly still and the only movement was the small ripples and sound of the sloshing water against the edge and the rocks. Akina took a deep breath and let the intoxicating smell of the warm water and clean atmosphere purify her mind.  
  
She walked over to a small cove of the spring and began to undress, folding her kimono afterwards. She walked slowly into the water, feeling it's pliable texture with her soft, gentle hands. She could hear small voices. Manten and Aida. She listened to them. Manten was splashing and making humming noises.  
  
"Stop splashing me." Aida warned.  
  
There was more splashing, then there was a splash back.  
  
"Stop."  
  
"Hey, watch what your doing."  
  
Another splash.  
  
"Quit!"  
  
"You started it."  
  
More splashes.  
  
"Stop you fat, balding lizar-"  
  
Akina cut them off, their voices becoming just that, voices with no definite words. She backed into the water and turned around slowly, letting the water flow around her. She sunk down into the water where it was halfway consuming her breasts. Her red hair flowed in the water as if it were the water itself. The water felt good, hot and refreshing, lifting the dirt and impurities from her body.  
  
Akina let the power of the warm water take over, lift her mind and ease her spirits. She floated in the warm, bubbly water. She could hear the far off voices of Manten and Aida.  
  
"What are you doing standing there like that?!"  
  
"What? Can't I be naked if I wish?"  
  
Akina gently laid her head on the rocks. She could hear the slight rushing of the water and far off sloshing. Akina froze, she couldn't see anyone, but she was sure she was the only one there. She slowly turned around and sunk into the water. The noises were coming from behind her.  
  
"Hey! Shut up over there!"  
  
Akina heard a familiar voice ring. Aida and Manten became quiet.  
  
"Gomen naisai An-chan."  
  
It was Hiten.  
  
Hiten.  
  
Akina swam up to the rocks. She peered from behind them and saw a most beautiful sight...............  
  
She saw a young man, tall and strong. He was lean in build and well muscled. He had long silken hair, black as night, long and flowing, as if it were stands of pure silk. His muscles bulged and his skin was slightly darker then hers. His back was turned to her, and the water flowed around him, only reaching midway to his buttocks. Akina stared for a while at the young male. He had pointy ears. He was a youkai. He was so beautiful. She watched him for a moment, he stood there, splashing the water around him.  
  
**Oh wow..** Akina thought to herself. ** He's so soft and beautiful. Look at his body...I wonder who that is. I heard Hiten yell from this direction, I hope he doesn't come over here and find him. **  
  
Akina's mind was on the "scenery" as she became entranced in it, not paying attention to anything around her, she was wanting to find out who this mysterious youkai was. He had not turned around. He was perfect...Perfect and beautiful. She wondered if his face was a beautiful as his other features.  
  
He bent over slightly to wash his face. Her eyes became widened as she took in his muscles and other assets. She was surprised the young youkai had not detected her. She supposed that he was too involved in getting himself clean instead of looking for humans, no doubt to kill. She had not met a nice youkai. Even Aida had her tendencies. She basically had no friends.  
  
It was true that Hiten had been momentarily nice to her. Why? Why would he make himself so vulnerable to a human such as her? It was bad enough she was a human, but she was a human who had no real fighting skills. Her only skill was to cook and polish weapons, it wasn't a skill that was even knowledgeable or worth sparing her for. So why was the Raijuu Brothers sparing her life? She wished she knew but was happy by Hiten's words. Could she really trust him though? She guessed she would have to find out.  
  
She stopped thinking about that subject momentarily while she was away from the malicious brothers of lightning and thunder and reverted her gaze back to the youthful and attractive male youkai who bathed in the hot springs. She was pretty sure that he had no idea that he was being watched.  
  
**I feel like such a perv. Here I am peeping at boys like I'm immature..** She blushed.  
  
The mysterious youkai turned around. Akina gasped at the man who turned around to face her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yes, I am evil. But come on it's not like no one knows who it is anyway. R&R!! 


	8. Can You Love Me?

Chapter 8! *is wondering why people are still reading*  
  
Raiden no Ai  
  
Chapter 8: Can You Love Me?  
  
It was Hiten. Akina's eyes widened. It was......Hiten?  
  
**My God...It's Hiten..I was looking at Hiten? My God..** Akina was surprised. She sank down into the water and blushed. **Did I just call Hiten cute, I think I did. But...**  
  
Akina glanced over at Hiten as he bathed in the hot spring.  
  
**He is cute, though his attitude is attrocious. He would never love a human though.** She gazed at Hiten once more. ** He acted so strangely towards me when we were sitting on the porch, gazing at the sunset. He was so...nice to me...But why? **  
  
Hiten finally turned around and looked at the rocks where Akina was.  
  
"Who's there?"  
  
Akina ducked down in the rocks.  
  
"Come out, I know your there." He yelled.  
  
Akina shyly popped up from behind the rocks, covering her soft breasts. Hiten sunk down and swam over slowly to the dark gray rocks and raises himself up on them, putting his arms crossed across the gray surface. Akina backs away a little.  
  
"You don't have to be afraid of me."  
  
"Ummm..." Akina looked at him then looked at herself and blushed.  
  
"What?" Hiten asked.  
  
"Erm...I have no clothes on."  
  
"Neither do I. So what's there to hide?"  
  
Akina began to grow nervous, she had never been around a man with no clothes on. Hiten seemed content, at the moment, which was a little out of character for Akina's taste.  
  
"Do you feel better now that you're clean?" Hiten asked.  
  
"A little." Akina sighed.  
  
"Oh come on, you can't still be sad for all of those worthless people I killed." Hiten said, slightly annoyed.  
  
"They were my family and friends, and now I have no friends...and no family..." Akina said, turning her back to Hiten and letting her hands fall to her sides. She couldn't hear Hiten behind her anymore, so she turned around, thinking she had angered him again. Sure enough, he wasn't there. The young girl began to look around for him, but that section of the hot spring was empty. Surprised, her eyes darted around the hot springs.  
  
While Akina was distracted, Hiten slipped into her side of the hot spring. Hiten looked at Akina, who was, in turn, looking for him. Of course she was beautiful, he had thought as much when he first saw her. But humans normally didn't appeal to demons unless it was for dinner.  
  
But Akina was different.  
  
As Hiten got nearer and nearer, he could hear her saying things.  
  
"Hiten.... Oh crap. Hiten please don't be mad! I can't help it...I miss them...I miss them so much..."  
  
Akina's head went down in the rocks for a minute, then it raised up and he could hear the soft sound of weeping. No doubt if she knew he was in the hot springs with her, she would scream. Most humans seemed to do that. If she screamed then Manten and Aida would come and ask her what was wrong.  
  
Only one way to approach the problem.  
  
Hiten lurched up and moved slowly, so as to not be detected. He swiftly put his hand around Akina's mouth as her body flinched and she let out a tiny gasp. He lowered his head and talked softly into her ear.  
  
"Akina, it's me, Hiten."  
  
He took his arm slowly away, confident that she wouldn't scream. Akina turned around and put her hands over her breasts again and slightly blushed.  
  
"Are you...mad at me?" She asked, crystalline tears still flowing down her face.  
  
"Do you cry for those fools again?" Hiten asked bluntly.  
  
"Ungh..." Was the reply he received from the young girl. The reason she was crying was not because of them, but it was because of the fact that she thought Hiten was angry with her again. It actually had hurt her feelings that Hiten was almost constantly angry with her. But how could she tell him that?  
  
"Akina?"  
  
Akina looked up at Hiten shyly.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What were you crying about?" Hiten asked. He had a feeling that she really was not mourning for those people as he had previously thought.  
  
Hiten walked up closer to her and brushed up against her and looked into her chocolate colored eyes. She smiled at Hiten, her feelings seeming to overrule her train of thought. She could feel Hiten's strong, well-muscled arm touch her back.  
  
"I was." She looked to the side. "I can't lie to you. I was crying because I thought you were mad at me."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Akina's hands lay upon Hiten's chest. "I thought that you hated me. I ."  
  
"Akina."  
  
Akina took the chance to make a move and buried her head in Hiten's chest. Hiten was a little surprised at this.  
  
"Ai shiteru."  
  
She lowered her head and nuzzled his chest. She felt him stiffen a little more in her arms and she wondered if Hiten really would ever love her in return. So far he hadn't shown her the slightest bit of encouragement. She wouldn't force herself on him. That was against her nature.but that didn't mean she was giving up quite yet.  
  
Hiten could feel the excitement course though his body. He could feel his body become hot. She put her arms around Hiten's waist, she felt him stiffen in her arms again and wondered if he could ever love her in return.  
  
"Akina." She could hear him say.  
  
She gently kissed the side of his cheek. Hiten was not even fighting against it. He seemed to be actually listening. Then the question came...  
  
"Could you ever love me in return?"  
  
Her heart wretched in her chest with that question. She had to know. It tore her in half, if he said no, she would continue to be saddened and walk around like a corpse without a soul, left to wander the world in torment. If Hiten refused, she would go back to being nothing more then a servant. She would not touch him or look at him again. She wouldn't allow her body to hurt her even further. Even if Hiten wanted to do as her body wished.  
  
To love a man who does not love her in return, it would devastate her heart, leaving her to wander aimlessly.  
  
"Akina."  
  
"If you can't...Then I'll go away." Akina said.  
  
Hiten pulled way a little so he could look into her face. Her beautiful brown eyes stared in shock at him.and little of another emotion he couldn't place. For a moment they just stared at each other. Then slowly almost shyly Hiten rested his head on her shoulder.  
  
"I'll be your servant, and nothing more..."  
  
Hiten thought to himself the one destined to be his mate, Adia, did not matter to him. Sure she was a beautiful youkai, but all she did was provide a pretty picture to look at and words of encouragement every now and then. She and Manten didn't seem to get along to well either.  
  
**Aida doesn't love me...She cares it's true, but it's not love....**  
  
"Akina.... You asked if I could fall in love with you." Hiten said.  
  
Here it was.... The moment of truth.  
  
"Strangely enough, I think I can."  
  
Akina's heart seemed to pop out of her chest, and her knees felt strange, almost as if she were drunk, only she wasn't. Hiten said he could love her, he really could. He felt her smile as her head lay on his chest, then she shyly looked up into his eyes, her brown eyes meeting his crimson ones.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*  
  
^____^ ;; Hope this isn't too OOC. Well, not enough to turn anyone away. This is actually a hard thing to do, making him fall in love is not easy. It's almost harder then what I did with Kouga in my Taming of the Wolf fic, and I most certainly wasn't going to make it a Mary Sue. Oh yes, I have a one shot Hiten fic if anyone would like to read it. It's called Patience.  
  
Well, Ja ne! 


	9. Hiten, The Lonely Youkai

Chapter 9! *wonders if anyone is still reading*  
  
Raiden no Ai  
  
Chapter 9: Hiten, the Lonely Youkai  
  
"You might be surprised to hear this but...Everytime I saw you, I was sad whenever you'd be angry at me. When I saw you there, bathing in the springs, I thought to myself how cute you were, though I didn't know it was you....I don't want you to leave me now..." Akina said.  
  
She blushed slightly at her confession.  
  
Hiten was speechless. His throat wouln't let him do anything but breathe. His lips trembled as he lowered his head as her lips touched hers, but he did not refuse as they began to kiss passionately. Hiten moaned as the kiss ignited a fire from deep within himself. Never in his life would he dream that he had wanted a woman so. He had never even realised it. Hiten pushed her inward and she gasped a bit from being pressed up against his well muscled body, allowing him to enter. They allowed each other's tounges to explore the opposite mouth cavity, enjoying it fully. He let go of the kiss to stare into her eyes. Those chocolate eyes that glistened with love, and that familiar blush that stained her cheeks. She kissed slowly up Hiten's neck, and brushed a bit of his hair back and whispered into his ear.  
  
"Ask me to, and I will stop Hiten."  
  
She could feel Hiten's hand on the back of her head and could feel his warm breath on her neck as he drew his head in and made it brush against hers gently. His warm breath made her shiver against him a little. He leaned heavily against her, wanting to touch as much of her as possible.  
  
"Hiten.."  
  
Hiten's eyes came open slightly and he took his head away from her, looking at her. She covered her breasts again, still feeling uncomfortable around him.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Please tell me...That I'm not just a servant. "  
  
The way her hands moved back on his body made it difficult to think.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Please say that you don't just want me around so I can do things for you and Manten. Please don't say that you'll eat me if I don't satisfy you. Tell me I'm more then that." Her expression became full of sorrow and pain.  
  
Hiten's eyes softened. He could see how much being used hurt her. He could see how it pained her becuase of the fact that she was looked down upon by them every day and she expected to die because of their threats.  
  
"Akina...I don't give a damn about any of that anymore. I except your love, though I don't feel as strongly as you. I have to say, I've never felt this way about any human, or woman before in my life. I don't even know why I have spared you this long. Something just tells me I want to be with you."  
  
Akina hugged Hiten's neck tightly. She was glad that he could return her love, or rather, he would at least try. He told her he could love her, and he didn't care what Manten or Aida thought. The happiness she felt that shown in her eyes was more then he could bear. Hiten put his arms around her waist has he brought her to a shallow end of the hotspring.  
  
They sat in the shallow end beside of each other, the same closeness. Akina was still a little uneasy with her nakedness around him, but he didn't seem to mind.  
  
Hiten's long ebony hair and her red, firey hair seemed to intwertwine from the closeness of the two. She hadn't been this close since the night she had fallen over the Rageki-jin. She was beside of him because he wasn't forcing her, but because his feelings were so much better for her. He was no longer cold or hard, but he was strong and calm. They didn't seem to care if they got all pruney sitting there. Akina slightly leaned into Hiten. She could feel his tight, well muscled body contract and expand with each slow, easy breath.  
  
She was certain that he wouldn't hurt her, at least for now.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Hiten emerged from the hotspring and began to dress himself. Akina sat there for a while contemplating, A great sense of fear had been lifted from her. She no longer had to fear the Raijuu Brothers, well, at least she did not have to fear Hiten, unless he grew angry again.  
  
She feared his wrath the most.  
  
"Well?" Hiten turned. "Are you going to get dressed?"  
  
"Oh." Akina replied, snapping out of her unconsious state. "Yeah, sorry."  
  
She inched her way to the edge of the hotspring. As she neared the edge Hiten still stood there. His hair was still down. Akina reached the edge and attempted to climb up the slippery rocks. Suddenly, her foot began to slip. She felt something grab her hand and pull her up. It was Hiten..  
  
She stumbled to the grass and walked over to her kimono after she had thanked the strapping youkai for his efforts. He didn't walk off, not that she had expected him to. He had always kept an eye on her. Why should this be any different?  
  
*** Hiten must be so lonely.*** Akina thought to herself. *** He really only has one friend, Manten. Aida seems to be decent to him, but he has never been too fond of her. He and Manten seem to really care about each other, though I can't blame them. They are the only two who really care about each other. Compaionship, two brothers sharing the same goal. Equality, no matter what they would treat each other as equal. Even if the whole world around them seemed to fall. A brother's love...  
  
Sometimes it seems so hard for Hiten to let his feelings out. Others, he does with no problem. Anger seems to be the thing that runs the most. That temper of his....  
  
Something tells me that though he seems cold, he is really tormented inside. Who wouldn't be? Everyone hates him but Manten and Aida. He kills people, that's true. They have reasons to hate him. He's slain their parents, children, grandparents and anyone else..But...I can't help to sympathise for him. Maybe it's because I'm in the same prediciment. All anyone's ever looked at him was as a killer. Maybe I pity his soul, or perhaps something else....***  
  
"Akina?" her thoughts were cut off by Hiten's voice. She whipped her head around as if she had been startled.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Come on." Hiten swung the Raigeki-jin over his arm and turned to walk back to Manten and Aida. Akina followed.  
  
Manten and Aida were standing beside of the hotsprings. The ominous dark cloud that Manten sat upon waited also.  
  
"Enjoy your bath?" Aida purred.  
  
"Yeah." Hiten answered. "We'd better get back."  
  
The wheels on Hiten's shoes began to spin as he lifted himself into the air, taking a firm grip on Akina's wrist. Manten and Aida sat upon the dark cloud that slowly crept up behind him. With a burst of speed, Hiten took off. This slightly startled the red haired maiden. She looked around and saw how far up she had been.  
  
"Oh!" She squeaked.  
  
Hiten glanced at her. She was so surpried that she had been dumbfounded by her fear. She grabbed Hiten's wrist and gently squeezed it.. Hiten smiled and had a bit of blush on his face. She could feel him pull her close.  
  
"Don't be afraid. I won't drop you." Hiten assured.  
  
Akina glanced back at him and smiled a bit. They flew through the air, Hiten being as graceful as he ever had. Akina would occasionally gasp as they did a flip every now and then. Manten's thundercloud was creeping along close behind.  
  
As they came to the familiar building, Hiten dove down and came to a stop, letting Akina down gently. Akina stood there by Hiten's side. The wind blew through their hair. Hiten's hair was still down from the hotsprings. It flowed around him as they walked back into the building followed by Manten and Aida.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Yeah, I think this was a little short. ^^; Sorry about that, I promise a longer chapter next time. Please R&R! 


	10. The Snake

Chapter 10!! *wonders how long she can stretch this out*  
  
JAPANESE DEFINITIONS  
  
Doushita no-What's wrong?  
  
Aishiteru- I love you  
  
Domo Arigato- Thank you  
  
Raijuu-Lightning/Thunder  
  
Monku-Bitch  
  
Nani-What?  
  
An-chan- Manten calls Hiten this, it basically means brother.  
  
Gomen nasai- Forgive me  
  
Naze-Why?  
  
Ne-Huh?  
  
Chapter 10: The Snake  
  
Hiten and Akina sat inside of the building while Manten and Aida sat on the porch. Hiten sat on a bench and Akina sat beside him. She reached out to Hiten's shoulder, where a healthy amount of his hair laid. She grasped the hair gently. Her hand touched Hiten's arm and his muscles jumped at the contact. He turned his head towards her as he let out a small gasp.  
  
"Sorry." Akina apologized. "I didn't mean to startle you."  
  
"Hn.." Hiten looked forward, grasping the Rageki-jin firmly. As he sat there, he could feel something go through his hair lightly. He closed his eyes.  
  
"Your hair is so beautiful." Akina told him. "I wish I could have hair like yours."  
  
Hiten half way opened his eyes.  
  
"Your hair is much more beautiful then mine." Hiten admitted. "If anyone should be jealous, it should be me."  
  
Akina gathered Hiten's soft, silky hair in her hands and began to braid it. His hair was soft like the petals of a flower between her fingers and she wove it into the braid it was in once before. Hiten sat there and seemed to enjoy the attention he was getting.  
  
"If you think so, then I will not argue with you." Akina began as she completed the braid and bound the end together with a tie.  
  
"I know so."  
  
Akina sat, once again, beside Hiten on the old wooden bench. She sat with her arms lightly crossed and one arm on top of the other.  
  
"Hiten." Akina said, looking downward at the floor.  
  
"Hn?" Hiten turned his head and looked at her. "What's wrong now?"  
  
"Do you ever feel lonely?" She asked.  
  
Hiten shut his eyes and let out a muffled 'sometimes '.  
  
"Oh, I see. Me too." Akina replied with a slight smile.  
  
"Want to take a walk?" Akina asked, almost shyly. " It's not like we have anything else to do trapped inside of this building."  
  
"Sure, why not?" He asked as he stood.  
  
Hiten and Akina walked through the next room and found Manten and Aida. Manten was sleeping on the ground and Aida was sitting at the table. She stood up and walked towards the two.  
  
She brushed up against Akina and touched her shoulder as she walked around the red haired maiden. Aida bent her head down close to Akina's...  
  
"Um..."  
  
"Where might you be going?" Her calm, seductive voice rang through her ears.  
  
"Um." Akina began to grow nervous.  
  
Hiten's face seemed to twist into a look of irritation as he saw the way the two women interacted. He knew that Aida had not been acting her usual self. She drew her head back and opened her mouth, exposing her fangs. Like a cobra, ready to strike her unsuspecting prey.  
  
Hiten grabbed Aida by her hair and flung her into the shojo door. Akina lit up in surprise the feeling overcame her and she could not move. Aida's head smashed into the doorway and her body sprawled out, knocking things down and sending them crashing and breaking on the floor.  
  
In an instant Manten popped out of bed and looked around. The sounds "Huh?...Hmm?..Heh?" Could be heard as he looked around in shock.  
  
"An-chan! We're being attacked!" He yelled as he covered his head.  
  
Akina stared at Manten, she never once looked over to the knocked out Aida.  
  
Aida lay on the back with her head touching the doorframe. A look of pain upon her face. Her pet snake slithered around watching it's master and seeming to long for her safety. Akina finally mustered enough nerve to turn around and look at Aida. She had been shocked at what Hiten had done. She looked at his face, his eyes had become firey red with rage. What as he so angry about?  
  
"W..W-w-w-w-.." Akina was so overwhelmed with surprise that she was practically speechless.  
  
"An-chan?" Manten questioned, still sitting upright with a dull looking cover laid over his lap. His fat stubby arms fell to the sides as Manten found that he wasn't being attacked.  
  
"Well, that certainly woke me up." Manten gestured, rubbing his balding head. "Oi, An-chan."  
  
Akina could feel a strong grip on her wrist.  
  
"Akina and I are going for a walk. Watch Aida Manten." Hiten's voice seemed to soften up considerably when talking to his brother. Manten looked at him, still semi-surprised.  
  
"All right." He agreed.  
  
"Come on Akina." Hiten began to walk away slowly, dragging Akina with him. Akina was still looking back at Manten was pulled away. Manten stared back at her. She and Hiten walked onto the porch. Hiten still wore the angry expression on his face and he clenched his fist rather tightly. He stifled a low growl as he and Akina stepped down onto the soft grass.  
  
The sky had changed. It was slightly adorn with puffy gray clouds. The sun was not as bright as it once was. Akina looked up at the gray clouds.  
  
"Looks like rain." She said, trying to take Hiten's mind off of Aida.  
  
Hiten didn't reply to her.  
  
"Doushita no?" Akina asked.  
  
"Monku!" Hiten shouted.  
  
"Nani?!" Akina asked.  
  
"Goman nasai." Hiten responded. "I saved you from her. She tried to bite you, injecting her poison into you and eventually killing you."  
  
"Naze?" She asked. " I thought...Oh."  
  
Akina sighed as she looked down.  
  
"Nani?" Hiten asked.  
  
"I thought I could trust her, but I see that I cannot."  
  
"Hn." Hiten sighed.  
  
Akina let out a small sigh and everything began to grow silent. Hiten glanced at her.  
  
"Let's just go. " Hiten said taking a few steps as Akina followed.  
  
The pair walked for a while, not saying anything to each other. They were side by side, almost touching. They looked around at the many things that surrounded them. The trees stood tall and full of leaves, some of them even had flowers of various shades of white, yellow and pink. The wildflowers filled the air with their fresh scent and the birds fluttered and chirped interactively with one another.  
  
Hiten and Akina walked down a small dirt path that seemed to be used at one time for carriages. It wasnt anymore, it had been abandon and parts of it were grown over with weeds.  
  
Hiten walked down the dirt path, kicking the occasional rock that stood in his way.  
  
"I bet this probably isn't as fun as flying, ne?" Akina asked.  
  
"It's alright." Hiten smiled.  
  
He seemed so much better when he was by himself. He was so content. He actually smiled as he walked, it was a very rare thing for Hiten to smile, unless he was doing something maliciously evil. The ground below them seemed to slope downward. It was adorn with large rocks and led down to a lake. The sky began to grow a little dark with the gray, fog like clouds.  
  
Hiten slowly began to walk downward, making sure to dodge the rocks and Akina very slowly climbed down the rocks. Hiten was a good distance in front of her. He momentarily turned around to check on Akina, he hadn't heard her footsteps behind him.  
  
"Akina?" He said as he slightly turned his head.  
  
"Nani?" She asked, stumbling up to him.  
  
She stumbled into his arms. Hiten lightly hugged her.  
  
"Akina."  
  
"Hiten..." Akina buried her head in Hiten's chest. Her long, slender fingers wrapped around his strong, broad hand and he gently held her hand. A small amount of blush had come to Hiten's face.  
  
"Let's walk together." She lightly smiled at the thunder Youkai.  
  
They began to walk slowly down to the small pond, where they came to the water's edge. The water had been still and seemed to be a murky green. The reflections of the few trees that adorn the side of the pond stood around as a still image in the water. She and Hiten stood still as their images faintly appeared in the green murky water.  
  
They stood there, looking out across the pond. They were silent for a while, just standing together, gazing at their surroundings. Letting the breeze of the cherry blossom trees intoxicate their senses.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*  
  
Fluffy, ne? Well, R&R as always and thank you for all of your reviews! You guys are great ^^ 


	11. Lightning Strike of Love

Fluff! Fluff! We must have more fluff! ^^ Hooray for fluff!  
  
Anyway chapter 11 !  
  
Chapter 11: Lightning Strike of Love  
  
"Hiten.." Akina said his name, seeming to question him.  
  
"Yes, Akina?" He asked, his features seeming softened against the pink of the cherry blossom trees.  
  
"How do you feel?" She asked.  
  
"About?" Hiten replied.  
  
"I don't know much about you...Not that you should tell me, I just wanted to know a little about you." Akina said.  
  
"There's nothing really to tell." Hiten walked over to a small outstretched dock and sat at the end.  
  
Akina walked after him. "Surely there's something. I mean, don't you feel lonely being by yourself."  
  
"I'm not by myself. Manten is there." Hiten replied.  
  
"You think he's the only one who understands you?" Akina asked.  
  
"Gee, you sound like you care." Hiten said somewhat sarcastically.  
  
"I do."  
  
Akina sat beside of Hiten she put her hand on Hiten's shoulder.  
  
"I know how it feels to be lonely and long for someone who understands. I'm there for you, even though I'm a human and you are a youkai..."  
  
She let out a small gasp as she could feel Hiten's hand atop hers. She could feel her expression soften as she looked into Hiten's eyes. His eyes seemed full of sadness now.  
  
"Akina..." Hiten frowned. "I have a deep sadness, Manten and I...I never thought...That someone would look at me as more then just a killer."  
  
Hiten closed his eyes and his gaze fell upon the ground.  
  
"Hiten..."  
  
Akina's face became saddened. She could feel Hiten's longing. The longing to have someone care for him. This is why she had been spared, the companionship. Sure she had been treated unkindly, but Hiten had floored Aida for trying to bite her. He must have cared to some extent.  
  
"I think your much more then just a heartless killer. You have feelings too, you're just misunderstood. People hardly ever get to see the real Hiten. They only see this youkai who has uncontrollable rage."  
  
Hiten looked at her with a look of confusion. Why was she comforting him after all he had done to her? He had offered no comfort, and no love. He had not offered kindness until this very day, and yet she seems to understand the thunder youkai. It was not as if he had someone to be intimate with. It seemed as if Hiten was answering Akina's question.  
  
She asked if he could love her, and he said he thought he could. His answer was being decided as he spoke to Akina.  
  
"Akina..." He looked into her eyes. He almost shyly put his hand up and touched the side of her face. She put her hand atop his and smiled warmly at the young youkai.  
  
"You don't have to be lonely. I'm glad that ..." She trailed.  
  
"I never thought I could feel this way about anyone..." Hiten said, barely audible.  
  
Akina lightly squeezed his hand. Hiten could feel a warm wave course throughout his body. He could feel everything being lifted, the sadness, the grief and the anger, savage and killing instinct. He seemed to transform into a completely different person before her eyes.  
  
"It's not easy to be a killer. "  
  
"I know how you feel, I'm so alone and frightened. I'm afraid that someone will find out, and they'll come after me. I live in guilt, and I am not strong." Akina told Hiten, a single tear ran down her cheek and on to Hiten's hand.  
  
"You don't have to be, I'm here. I can protect you."  
  
"You may be able to protect me, but it means nothing to me if you can't return my love. You may as well kill me, because it feels no different." She told him.  
  
"I think I've made up my mind on that." Hiten told her.  
  
All the time, he was staring into her eyes. He could feel her pain, and it was much similar to his own. He really had no one to be intimate with, due to the fact that he had killed them all. He never gave anyone the chance to get close.  
  
When Akina had come along, he had just wanted an indicator to point he and Manten to beautiful women to devour. Soon, Akina became more of a companion then a hostage, and soon he began to forget about killing her.  
  
Their eyes met in an endless loop of love, understanding and comfort. They seemed to be lost in each other's gaze for quite sometime. The eyes of the youkai seemed soft and gentle, this was a look unlike any Hiten had ever given her. Akina's were filled with love and compassion, Hiten couldn't take his eyes off of her.  
  
He had been a bit confused and he seemed like he was falling in and out of love. He didn't know if it was true or the fact that he wanted support or it was how he really had felt.  
  
Their heads seemed to draw inward. Their lips touched and Akina let out a small giggle and opened her eyes half way. She could feel Hiten's lips brush across hers when she spoke.  
  
"Something wrong?"  
  
"No."  
  
Hiten leaned in and kissed her passionately. Akina could feel his hand move to the back of her head and pushed it inward a bit. This caused Akina to brace herself on Hiten's chest. Hiten ran his hand through Akina's long, fiery strands.  
  
Hiten laid back on the dock, bringing Akina with him. He sighed in contentment as the two bodies pressed together. Akina was a bit surprised at his actions. She gasped a bit and Hiten wrapped his arm around her back.  
  
"But...Hiten..." Akina said a bit in surprise.  
  
"Yes,"  
  
"You wouldn't be disturbed?" She asked.  
  
"Why would I be? I know my feelings now." Hiten slightly smiled.  
  
"But I'm a human...N...not that I am complaining or anything!" She seemed to respond in a somewhat panicky voice.  
  
"Why do you complain? I thought this is what you wanted." Hiten told her.  
  
"You don't mind if."  
  
"I don't give a damn about any of that." Hiten said, pulling her closer. "I just want to be with you."  
  
"Really?" Akina asked.  
  
Hiten sighed.  
  
"Must I repeat myself?" He asked, seeming agitated slightly.  
  
"No." Akina told him as she reached down and kissed him gently on the lips, tasting the youkai's sweet lips and mouth. Hiten could feel his lips burning hot from the kiss. Feelings coursed through him, like nothing he's ever felt before.  
  
Hiten threw both arms around Akina and began to kiss her passionately. He began to let his hands run about her body as she amplified the passion within the kiss. She could hear a very small moan from the thunder youkai. He clenched her kimono tightly and pulled her into his body. He began to kiss and nip her neck slightly, being careful not to pierce her skin with his fangs.  
  
"Oh Hiten..." He could hear, barely above a whisper.  
  
Hiten and Akina lay there in bliss. Each understood the other's pain in an odd sort of way.  
  
They sought each other's comforts and the factor of human and youkai did not matter to them. Hiten had never had such a lust for a human. Most human females were eaten by Manten and himself. That didn't matter now.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*  
  
Hiten and Akina began walking back to the drab building once again, hand in hand and walking very close to each other.  
  
"Hiten. Do we have to tell?" Akina trailed.  
  
"Manten?" Hiten asked.  
  
"Er..."  
  
"He won't mind." Hiten assured.  
  
He knew that Manten was very understanding of him as a person. He would understand. He and Hiten were close for siblings and they understood each other and accepted each other as equals, regardless of looks. Regardless of anything, they would always be there to support each other.  
  
The gray puffy clouds began to rumble. Akina looked up, she could see certain areas of the sky. Hiten sniffed the air.  
  
"Looks like we are about to have a rainstorm." He said lowly.  
  
"Ah," Akina let out a sigh. " The air always smells so good when it rains."  
  
Akina leaned her head back as a small crystal raindrop hit her on the tip of her nose. Akina shook her head. Hiten glanced at her for a moment, as she brushed the raindrop off of her nose.  
  
"I felt a rain drop." Akina said, almost giggling at the look Hiten gave her. Hiten continued to stare.  
  
"Oh..." He finally responded. This made Akina let out a giggle.  
  
"That's the first time I've heard you laugh since you've been here." Hiten stated with a slight smile.  
  
"I can't help it. That look on your face was so funny. " Her giggles began to turn into laughs, " I've never seen you look at anyone like that before."  
  
"I guess I did look pretty strange huh?" Hiten smiled.  
  
"Yes," Akina could hardly contain herself as laughter overcame her.  
  
She could feel Hiten's body seem to jump and flinch beside her as he began to chuckle silently to himself. Soon the both of them found themselves laughing.  
  
"You're laughing." Akina told him, happily.  
  
She had never seen him laugh before, nor had he seen her.  
  
"Yes, I am."  
  
"Oh Hiten." Akina sighed, hugging the youkai lightly. "Never leave me..."  
  
"Never." Hiten told her, " I promise."  
  
The rain started to fall down at a steadier pace. Several lightning strikes hit the ground afar as the two hugged in the rain. They stood there, not caring if they were getting wet. They broke their embrace and walked through the rain and back to the drab building, which was only a glimpse away.  
  
They took their time, walking slowly in the rain, hand in hand.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~  
  
One more chapter of fluff and then we get to the action. Stick around and there will be more to come this fic is only half way over. Can you handle the rest? If so then stick around! 


	12. Beautiful Storm Night

One more fluffy chapter! Then...The action...With small amount of fluff here and there.  
  
Well, here we go with the chapter!  
  
Chapter 12: Beautiful Storm Night  
  
Akina and Hiten walked in the door was the sky began to darken and the rain started to fall heavily on the land. Akina looked out of the window. She was watching the rain fall and listening to it's steady beat as it fell off of the rooftop.  
  
Hiten leaned up against the wall and stared at Akina. Aida sat on the old wooden bench and remained silent. Manten looked out of the window for a moment, then he turned to his brother.  
  
"An-chan." He said. " Tomorrow's the day."  
  
Hiten nodded in response.  
  
"The day?" Akina questioned as she looked at the two brothers seeming confused.  
  
"Oh, I haven't told you." Hiten responded looking somewhat surprised. " Manten and I are just going to destroy some villages tomorrow. I want you to stay here. "  
  
"Oh.." Akina looked down at the ground. She understood why she couldn't go, but she still longed to be with Hiten. she had just got him to open up to her.  
  
"Don't worry Akina. We're sure to come back in one piece." Manten assured. "We're just going to go and destroy some armies in the countryside."  
  
"This should be interesting." Aida said as she moved a hand up to her face, running her fingers through her black hair.  
  
Hiten glared at Aida for a moment and narrowed his eyes. He then turned to Akina and told her that Aida would not touch her, if she did, he would kill her himself. Aida listened to Hiten's words. Akina lit a small candle on the table as nightfall began to dim the room.  
  
Manten lumbered over and sat by Akina. Akina glanced at the reptilian that rested his arm on the tabletop beside of her. Akina looked over at Manten who let out a slight smile at the red haired maiden. He didn't know yet, but he would very soon. Akina could faintly hear a small yawn. She looked over at Aida, who was holding her hand over her mouth as she strained the yawn out.  
  
Aida rose up off of the old wooden bench and scratched her side wearily.  
  
"Well, " She said in a tired voice. "I'm going to bed now. Good night."  
  
Manten and Hiten just watched her leave and said nothing.  
  
"Good night..." Akina barely said as Aida left the room.  
  
"Well, I guess I should go as well. Good night An-chan, Akina." Manten slowly got up and lumbered slowly away.  
  
"Goodnight, Manten." Hiten said lowly, as he still leaned against the wall and watched his brother leave.  
  
"Rest well." Akina smiled.  
  
After Manten was gone, the two sat there, silent. Hiten closed his eyes and leaned his head in a bit. Akina looked at the tired youkai.  
  
"Tired?" Akina asked.  
  
"Hm?" Hiten glanced at her, opening his eyes again.  
  
"Are you tired, Hiten?" Akina asked.  
  
"A little, I'll go to bed in a few minuets. You can sleep if you want."  
  
"I'll go to bed when you do." Akina smiled.  
  
Hiten walked out of the room for a moment. Akina didn't follow, she just looked at the shojo door, waiting for him to return. After a few minuets of waiting Hiten did not return. She waited still for him, not moving from her place at the table.  
  
Hiten stood on the front porch, the wind blowing the rain slightly onto the porch. The weather was stormy and it was worse off then it had previously been. The wind was whistling and howling as it blew fiercely. The rain was pouring and everything was swamped. The thunder clashed loudly and the lightning flashed bright. Hiten stood amongst the chaos around him and seemed content with it. He stared into the horizon for a while, watching the movement of the clouds and lightning. He could feel himself seem to zone out as he watched.  
  
He decided that he was tired and walked back into the building. He took off most of his clothing, the only thing he seemed to be wearing was his pants. He reentered the room where Akina sit at the table, resting her head upon it a bit.  
  
She raised her head up when she heard him.  
  
"H-Hiten?" She said wearily.  
  
"You waited for me?" He asked.  
  
"I just wanted to see if you were all right." Akina said. "You were gone for a long time."  
  
"I'm fine." Hiten replied as he left the room momentarily once more.  
  
Akina walked over and laid down on the floor. She could feel a blanket hit her in the head. She uncovered the light blue cloth from her head and looked over at the youkai, who was seated beside of her.  
  
"Wouldn't want you to get cold again." He smiled.  
  
"Thank you.." Akina blushed.  
  
"I wouldn't want you to trip and fall on the Raieki-jin for a second time." Hiten snickered.  
  
With that Hiten got the light blue, fuzzy blanket thrown in his face.  
  
"Very funny." Akina smirked playfully.  
  
Hiten handed her back the blanket. "You the one who's complaining that they're cold."  
  
"Your wearing less clothes then I am." Akina put her hands on the blanket and pushed it back over to Hiten.  
  
Hiten shoved it back. "I got it for you."  
  
Akina shoved it back. "But I want you to have it."  
  
Hiten shoved it back. "It's yours."  
  
Akina shoved it back. "No, it's yours."  
  
"Look." Hiten glared. "I said it was yours."  
  
"I insist, it's yours."  
  
"Ok, this is getting no where."  
  
"How about we go give it to Manten." Akina asked.  
  
"How about.... You take it." Hiten threw the blanket at her.  
  
"No you take it." Akina threw it back over Hiten's head.  
  
Hiten flinched and made an 'eep' sort of noise. He was surprised that she had been so forceful in giving him the blanket. He uncovered his head and looked at her.  
  
"Hey, I have an idea." Akina said, looking the youkai who was wrapped in the blanket.  
  
"Yea." Hiten looked at her.  
  
Akina nodded and laid down. Hiten laid down, shoving the blanket aside a little. Akina took part of the blanket and covered herself as she scooted close to Hiten. "How about we share?" She asked in a voice slightly above a whisper.  
  
Hiten let out a small, almost unnoticeable amount of blush on his face.  
  
"If you insist." He looked at her.  
  
Akina looked away a bit and then back at Hiten, seeming a bit sad.  
  
"Something wrong?" He asked.  
  
"Do you promise you won't leave me...Truly?" She asked.  
  
"Do you not trust my answer?" Hiten asked.  
  
"I do...It's just..." Akina sighed. "I worry about you sometimes. It's not that you're weak, because I know that's not true. It's more because I worry about something bad happening to you. If you died...I don't know what I would do."  
  
"Akina..." Hiten said softly. "That is one thing, you won't ever have to worry about."  
  
Akina looked unsure. Hiten had gone off to battle a few times and it worried her about the one day that he would not return. She supposed that was the price she had to pay on day for loving a murderous youkai.  
  
Hiten put his hand on Akina's shoulder to comfort her. Akina looked over at Hiten, smiling a faint, sad smile.  
  
Hiten looked at Akina for a moment then scooted closer and took her in his arms. She leaned her head against Hiten's bare chest, seeking his comfort. She reached up, almost shyly and gave him a light kiss before she shortly after, fell asleep in his strong arms.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~  
  
Well that was the fluff! Now the action with slight fluff! Yeah, you can't avoid the fluff. Fluff is like an enigma, it consumes everything once it has infected the fic.  
  
Anyway, R&R as always and I thank you all so much for making this fic successful! 


	13. New victims!

Tadaa! Chapter 13! * for all you superticious people who think the number is associated with bad happenings/ paranormal incidents*  
  
Chapter 13: New Victims  
  
Akina woke up, the Raijuu Brothers were nowhere to be found, and Aida was gone as well. Akina got up and began to tidy up the place. She hoped that Hiten and Manten came back that day.  
  
There wasn't much to do at the building. She decided that she would go out and pick some flowers. She walked into the field, gathering many flowers. When she had a small amount gathered, she walked back up to the building and began her chores and tasks for the morning.  
  
She gathered flowers, washed dishes, gathered herbs to treat the youkai's after battle wounds, if he had any. She went to the stream and got some water.  
  
What seemed like hours later, Manten came in the door carrying a young girl. She didn't look like anyone who was from her time at all. She wore a green fuku and had beautiful, long black hair.  
  
" I took your advice and captured a black haired maiden." Manten said happily.  
  
"Oh..." Akina looked to the ground with a sad expression. She felt sorry for the young girl. She reminded her so very much of herself.  
  
Manten began to brew his hair potion in the small room. He brought a large knife into the room.  
  
Akina watched Manten lumber by with the knife. Manten stopped and glanced at Akina.  
  
"Something wrong?" He asked.  
  
"Sorry Manten, I'm just not accustomed to death no matter how much I am around it." Akina sighed.  
  
"You shouldn't worry about dieing my dear." Manten told her. "Hiten rather likes you. I've never seen him act that way towards any human, let alone female."  
  
"Well...Should I feel special, or saddened still?" Akina asked.  
  
"You seem to care a lot about people who don't care for you." Manten said. "Why care about someone you don't even know?"  
  
"Perhaps I am pitiful." Akina sighed. "When you dispose of her, or eat her. Could you please not show me?"  
  
She could feel a thick arm go around her shoulder. Her eyes shot open and met those of Manten.  
  
"Do not worry, sweet vixen." Manten purred. "If you are fine with An-chan, you are fine with me. I shall not show you, though you must realize that you will eventually have to get used to it."  
  
"I know." Akina sighed. "I shall face it when I am ready."  
  
Manten took his arm from around Akina and waddled in the room and shut the door. She could hear Manten's humming for a while. Akina took the flowers and arranged them in the vase. She heard a chopping noise and a scream. She flinched and she heard a crash. She had knocked off the vase on the table. She bent down to pick it up and she heard a girl's voice yelling at Manten. She was still alive?! How could that be? Perhaps Manten had missed, or she had moved.  
  
Hiten and Aida walked in the door. Hiten smiled at Akina.  
  
"Miss me?" He asked.  
  
Akina smiled at the youthful youkai.  
  
"What's that commotion in Manten's room?" Aida asked.  
  
"Hm?" Hiten glanced over at the door with a frown. He could hear Manten say "Be quiet, An-chan will hear you."  
  
"Oh will I?" Hiten asked.  
  
"Will you what?" Akina looked confused.  
  
She could feel Hiten push her aside lightly and walked over to the door, followed by Aida. He drew his fist back and punched in the door, driving his hand through its wooden surface. Akina flinched back at this. Manten and the girl inside stared at Hiten with very surprised expressions on their faces.  
  
Hiten and Aida walked into the room. It was apparent that Hiten was angry again. Akina peered through the door. Hiten asked Manten why the girl was there. Manten told him that she belonged to him. She heard Hiten tell his brother not to worry, that he already had a girl. Aida let out a smile, assuming it was her that he was talking about. She had not known about he and Akina's relationship.  
  
She heard Hiten ask his brother about something called "Shikon shards".  
  
**Shikon shards? What are those? ** Akina asked herself. She had no idea what a Shikon was, but apparently Hiten and Manten were collecting it.  
  
Manten began to make up excuses, telling his brother that he had forgotten about the shards. Hiten was not impressed by his brother's actions. He walked up to Manten and growled. Manten, out of fright told his brother that he had gained possession of one of the shards, but lost it. Manten was apologizing with all of his compassion and the young black haired girl just watched in horror.  
  
She could see a small smile come across the elder brother's face. He asked Manten if this girl was more important then the jewel shards.  
  
Manten seemed to shrink back at that joke. He knew Hiten was still angry. Akina clenched the side of the shojo door.  
  
Hiten turned around and rammed his hand through Aida's face. The room seemed to light up in fear. The young girl in the fuku held her hands up to her face and gasped in horror. Akina's eyes were as big as paper plates, and she thought she would surely have a heart attack.  
  
Hiten pulled his hand out of Aida's face and her lifeless body fell to the hard, cold floor and lay there, sprawled and limp upon the floor. Her pet snake was slithering around her dead, bleeding body, wondering what has happened to its beloved master.  
  
Hiten stood over her body, his hand still in it's outstretched position and his back still facing Aida, never once did he look back at his mate. His hand was covered in blood.  
  
Manten was shocked, he couldn't say anything.  
  
"Aida..." Akina said sadly to herself. Aida, though she tried to kill her, had been the only person that Akina could really talk to besides the Raijuu Brothers. Aida was a female, so Akina had felt semi comfortable when talking to her.  
  
Akina remembered a happy talk the two had had not too long ago.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Aida had been sitting on the wooden bench watching Akina clean dishes.  
  
"So, you like Hiten?" She asked.  
  
"I don't know..." Akina said shyly.  
  
"He is wonderful." Aida said as she ran her hands through her hair. "Such a youthful and strapping youkai."  
  
"He's nice looking." Akina admitted. Surely, even she saw that Hiten was handsome.  
  
Aida put her arm around Akina. "Between you and I, I was planning on asking Hiten to be my mate forever."  
  
"That's nice." Akina smiled. "I wish you happiness."  
  
"We have to stick together, right. Can't let the men have all of the fun. No doubt they see something in a scraggly girl like you, or else they would not keep you around for so long."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Now Akina looked on at the dead youkai female who lay on the floor. Her beautiful face was nothing more then a pile of blood. Her long black hair, bathed in the life giving essence. Akina looked at her female companion. Her life had been ended due to the anger of Hiten.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
T_T Poor Aida... Anyway, what did you think? Sad, happy. Did Aida truly deserve that? How do you feel about Aida's character? And will Akina still love Hiten? And what of the girl in the fuku? Will she fall victim to Manten's hair potion?  
  
R&R! Onegai! 


	14. Remorse and Understanding

Here we go with chapter 14. 

A/N:) This is actually into the Thunder Bros. Arc of the anime. You probably all know who the girl in the fuku is and found the last scene a bit familiar. Anyway, here we go. I'd say that this was the middle of the fic.

Japanese dictionary

* Onegai-Please

* Hai-Yes

* Doo itashimashite- Don't mention it. It's nothing at all.

* An-chan-A shortened version of aniki which means, respected older brother.

* gomenkudasai- May I come in?

Chapter 14: Remorse and Understanding

"Hiten..." 

Hiten turned around with his mischievous evil smile and looked at the human girl who stood behind him, surprised by what had just happened. His bloody hand fell slowly to his side, Aida's blood slowly dripping from it.

"Akina. What are you doing in here?" He asked sharply.

"Uh.." Akina stared in a wild fright at the youkai.

**Akina...Who's that?** The girl in the fuku thought.

She stared at the girl who stood in the door way. ** She looks like one of the maidens Myouga spoke of. If that's true...** She gasped. **Then they'll eat her!! **

Hiten walked slowly over to Akina. After a few steps Hiten heard the shrill commanding voice yell the word "Stop!" Hiten froze in his tracks, Akina's eyes widened.

"Leave her alone!" She shouted. Manten looked over at her with an expression that seemed to say "I wouldn't if I were you." Hiten stood in silence for a few minuets. He opened his eyes and looked at Akina, to see if she would decide.

Akina just stood there, looking at Hiten. He stared back at her, those crimson eyes. Those eyes that she could not ignore. The girl in the corner looked angry with him, she had wanted him to stop, but why? He had not done anything wrong.

"Gomenkudasai?" Akina asked.

Hiten said nothing, he didn't even motion to her. He just stood there, looking at her.

"First answer me, should I stop here, or can I advance?" He looked serious when he had asked.

"Come as close as you want." Akina smiled. "As long as your hand doesn't go through my face, I think I'll be ok."

The girl in the corner seemed confused. She watched as Hiten walked over to Akina and handed her a package. 

"Here, I got this for you." He said simply as Akina took the package from his blood stained hands.

"Thank you." She looked into his eyes. They seemed so calm now that he had been away from the girl and Manten. Akina looked down at the package, Aida's blood stained one side in the shape of a handprint left by Hiten. she then looked back up at Hiten.

"May I ask you something?" She asked.

"Sure."

"Naze..."

" Why what?" Hiten asked, seeming innocent enough.

" Why did you kill Aida?" She asked.

"Hmpf! " Hiten spat. "Why would you care? She tried to kill you. You think I'd be doing you a favor."

Akina flinched at the harshness of his voice. Hiten got close to her and bumped her with his chest. His lips seemed to move and he grit his teeth as he said below his voice. " Don't be silly, I did it to protect you."

"Hm?" Akina cocked her head.

" I did it so nothing would come between us." He hissed. 

Akina was a bit confused at why Hiten was being so low about it. Akina figured that he just wanted to seem tough. She knew that Hiten didn't like to show such a weakness to his enemies, of course not. That would be foolish. 

"There's a kimono in the package. I figured you needed a new one." Hiten grabbed Akina by her kimono and slowly lifted her up to him. As he did, he lightly kissed her on the lips.

"Just work with me here." She heard him lowly say.

The girl in the fuku couldn't see anything, but Manten caught the kiss.

"An-chan?" He wrinkled his face. 

Hiten had not told him that he had loved Akina. He wondered why. He put a finger to his mouth and pondered to himself.

" Take your package and go." Hiten ever so gently threw his hand out and let go of Akina. Akina fell to the floor.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, please forgive me." Akina said back to the murderous youkai.

"Shut up wench, out of my sight!" Hiten shouted as he punched the wall near him and made a large hole in the material as Akina scrambled out of the room. 

Akina ran over to the wall and put her head near the hole. She could hear Manten and Hiten still interacting in the room. 

"An-chan! Gomen nasai!! Onegai!" Manten pleaded.

"If you weren't my younger brother, I swear I'd kill you." Hiten's low sadistic voice rang.

Akina sat against the wall and began to slowly unwrap her present. Sure enough, it was a beautiful kimono. It was a dark gray color, made of the finest silk and adorn with small blue flowers. Akina smiled at the present.

Hiten and Manten left the room for a moment. Akina saw them walk past. She shyly got up and looked into the room at the girl in the fuku, who was wondering what the malicious brothers were going to do with her. 

"Ohayo.." Akina greeted her.

"Huh?" The girl turned her head. "Who are you anyway?" 

"What do you mean? I should be asking you that." Akina replied.

"My name is Kagome, and I was kidnapped."

"I'm Akina, and so was I." Akina pointed to herself. " They've been keeping me here so I can lead them to villages with pretty women for them to devour."

"How cruel. Don't worry. I can get Inuyasha to save you." She assured.

"Oh, I couldn't leave now." Akina told Kagome.

"And why not!?" Kagome asked, she seemed frustrated at Akina's answer.

"Because I.."Akina turned around to see Manten at the door.

"Akina." Manten spoke. "You really shouldn't be in here."

"I was just talking to Kagome..." Akina responded.

"An-chan would be furious, and I don't want my head handed to me." Manten replied, with the occasional glance around.

Akina arose and faced the reptilian. She walked slowly over to him.

"If it makes you uneasy, then I shall go." Akina silently agreed, putting a hand on Manten's large snout. She then walked past him and out of the shojo door. 

She walked into the room where the flowers and herb laid. She had wondered where Hiten had gone. She looked around and saw no glance of the youkai. 

"Hiten.." she called softly.

She walked toward the porch. Hiten always like to stand on the porch when thunderstorms came around. Sure enough he was there. He held the Raigeki-jin over his shoulder as he lean against the wall.

Hiten had his eyes closed and wore an angry expression. Akina gently put her hand upon his shoulder. Hiten flinched and let out an angry grunt as he wildly turned his head towards Akina. Akina shrunk back.

"Oh, it's you." He spat.

"Gomen, I know your angry." She shrank. "I'll go away if you want."

"Onegai...Please stay." Hiten said solemnly.

Akina's eyes widened. "You want me to...stay?"

" Hai."

"Thanks for the gift." Akina thanked Hiten.

Hiten smiled at Akina.

"Doo itashimashite." Hiten said in return.

"Can we talk?" Akina asked.

"I'm really not in the mood for idle chit-chat." Hiten closed his eyes and looked quite angry.

Akina looked at the ground. Hiten looked back over to her.

"But I'll listen to you."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Isn't that touching? *sniff* I bet you thought he was reverting back to his old self again ^^; You know I couldn't do that to the guy! Come on, what kind of Hiten fans are you guys? ^^; (That was a joke btw) Anyway, enough of my "Idle chit-chat" time to R&R!!!


	15. Heartless Bastard

Here is chapter 15 and I'm still not finished!! The action has been delayed for a little explanation scene.

Japanese Dictionary

Ie-No

Doushita no-What's wrong? What's the matter? What is it?

Ronin-A young, master less samurai who holds to ties to a feudal lord.

Chapter 15-Heartless Bastard

Akina was happy that Hiten was willing to listen to her at least for a minuet. She put her hand on his shoulder.

"I don't want to be nosey or anything, but could you answer a question for me?" She asked.

"What question?" Hiten asked, knowing that she didn't understand a thing that went on in the room between he, Manten and Kagome.

"What is a "Shikon Shard?" She asked. "You sure talk about them a lot."

Hiten seemed to freeze in position. His eyes widened and he tensed up. He hadn't been telling her why he was destroying villages. He remained silent for a few minuets as Akina waited for her answer.

Hiten finally let out a sigh.

"Do you not want to talk about it?" She asked. "Is it something bad?"

"Ie."

" The Shikon no Tama is a powerful jewel of four souls. Once all of the shards are obtained, one can acquire anything they desire." He informed.

"What do you desire?" Akina asked, curious of what Hiten had to say.

" To become the strongest and topple all who stand in my way." Hiten told her. 

" Your mind may desire strength, but I feel your heart desires something more." 

"Nani?"

" I think that you desire company, love, understanding..."

"I don't desire your pity." Hiten huffed.

"Love isn't pity." Akina told him. " Love is something everyone needs. Love is to feel appreciated, to feel excepted, to feel...More then just a killer.."

Hiten's face softened as he looked at Akina. Akina put her hand on Hiten's gently.

"I know you have it somewhere. You spared Manten's life a while ago, and you said you wanted to protect me. Is that because I'm more then just an indicator?" She asked.

" You've always been more then that, Akina. I was just to stubborn to believe it." Hiten looked out at the stormy. black sky. " Truly beautiful..."

"Hai.." Akina smiled.

"I thought you liked sunny weather." Hiten turned to her.

"Storms are nice too, so calming and the rain can wash away one's sadness and purifies one's soul." She said.

Hiten looked surprised. He had never thought of it that way before. 

"I guess.." He turned his head back to the storm.

Hiten arose from the wall and walked back inside. Akina followed. He stopped under the shojo door and turned slightly and looked at Akina out of the corner of his eye. He stopped for a moment and turned completely around.

"I have something to admit." Hiten told her.

"Yes?" Akina asked.

Hiten just stared at her with a saddened face for a while.

"Doushita no?" Akina asked.

Hiten walked up to her a bit and let out a saddened sigh and whisper.

"Onegai...Comfort me..." 

"Nani?" That was all she could say as Hiten's strong arms wrapped around her. 

"Oh Hiten." She hugged him tightly. She could feel his trembling form him her hands, beneath the mass amount of armor and clothing. Hiten grasp the back of her kimono firmly. After a while she could feel a small wet spot on her kimono. It was Hiten.

Hiten?

Hiten was...

Crying...

"Hiten...What's wrong?" Akina asked, stroking the back of Hiten's head.

Hiten released the grip on his hug and looked at Akina for a minuet, and turned his head quickly in shame. He didn't want Akina to see him reduced to a small crying boy who longed for an answer.

"Don't feel ashamed. Everyone cries." She said comfortingly.

"You don't understand." Hiten said, refusing to look at Akina, his eyes hide behind the tuft of bangs that befell his head. A single tear ran down his cheek. Akina reached up and gently wiped it away. Hiten's eye twitched at the contact. He turned his head slightly around as Akina began to wipe his tears.

"Am I....heartless?" he asked in a small voice.

"Of course not. Why?" She caressed his wet, hot face with her gentle hand. 

"I've been told that...more then once..." Hiten told her. "I assume it must be true."

The memories flew back to Hiten's mind as he explained his story.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The village was burning, and there seemed to be no one alive as the flames raged throughout, engulfing all that lay in their path. Hiten and Manten stood on a cliff above, looking down on the village. They had been very pleased with themselves, acquiring yet another piece of the Shikon Jewel. They were another step towards gaining power.

The dark woods of feudal Japan lay behind them, completely untouched by the flames and rage of the Raijuu Brothers. 

A man lay in the deep forest, holding his wounds. The man had crawled away to the cliff and into the woods, wanting nothing more then to die in peace after being wounded by the Raijuu Brothers' attack on the village. 

He caught glimpse of them as they stood upon the cliff. He drug his bleeding, weary body towards the two. Hiten turned around when he felt a firm grip on his ankle. 

He saw a man there, he seemed to be a young ronin. He looked at Hiten, with those cold earth colored eyes. 

"You.." His bitter, cold, unmoving voice came out. 

Hiten stared down at him and said nothing. He held the grip on his Rageki-jin tightly. 

"You heartless bastard. How could you kill so many and feel no remorse?" He asked, seeming to choke on his own blood.

Hiten's eyes widened. 

**Heartless?....I'm...heartless? ** He thought to himself.

Manten gazed at the man as he coughed up yet more blood. Hiten was still thinking to himself.

"Why don't you kill me, like you've killed my family!" His grip tightened on Hiten's ankle. 

This seemed to snap the young youkai out of his thought process for a moment. 

**Heartless?**

"How dare you?" The blade of the Raigeki-jin flew down, protruding through the man's head. Blood, spilling out of his ears and mouth as his body succumb to death. His hand let go of Hiten's ankle, as he lay there.

Manten kicked the man to the side. "Worthless human." He spat. "Come on An-chan."

"Manten..." The lizard heard. " Are we......heartless?"

"Don't be silly An-chan." Manten replied. "Don't listen to that filth. He has no idea of what he's talking about."

Manten gave a smile to the still confused Hiten.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"That's not true Hiten.." Akina told him, as she held his hand tightly and sunk into his body. She kissed his lips. She longed to make him feel as if he belonged.

Hiten seemed so sad. He thought he was heartless. Perhaps all of those years of being told such a lie had turned him into a cold snake, opposed to the warm caring person she now saw. He was more then a murderous youkai, now he was a sad, lonely person who longed to be loved.

She held him in her arms there.

" You don't have to be afraid. I'll always love you, my Raijuu youkai. " 

Hiten's face seemed to light up as Akina wiped away his tears. Hiten let out a whisper, calling her name. Akina kissed him again, assuring him of her love. Hiten kissed back this time. He had longed for companionship and love. He had gained that in the young maiden. 

Akina comforted the youth, wiping his tears and trying to settle the soul of the youkai. She stroked his raven hair and provided the love he so needed. The fact that he had killed Aida did not scare her in the least bit. She was certain of the fact that he would not hurt her in any way. 

He had more pain then she did after all. Sure, she had endured pain from heartache, but to lead the life of a killer, Hiten thought, was to lead a life alone. 

"Ai shiteru.." 

"Forever and always...."

"Always?"

"Forever.."

"Even if I am heartless..."

"Even if you had no feeling and shed no tears. Even if you hated me and devoured me as you do all of the other maidens."

"..."

"Hm?"

"I would never..."

"Hiten."

"Akina..."

The two of them stood there, not seeming to care who watched them. Hiten seemed vulnerable now, he had finally opened up to her. He wasn't Hiten the killer, the malicious heartless bastard. He was Hiten, Hiten the lonely, sad youkai who only wanted love. Hiten the hot headed youkai who hides his true feelings behind a mask of anger and seeming unmovable feelings.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tadaa! Chapter 15 is complete. Back to the action in chapter 16! Do you think Hiten's love is true? If so then R&R and tell me so!! Oh yeah, forgot to apologize for not putting what An-chan meant until chapter 14. I'm such a baka sometimes. ^^; Well R&R and tell me your ideas someone's got to be creative here!

~R&R~

Onegai?

Pretty please?

With sugar and bishies on top!


	16. Uneasy Feelings

****

Here is chapter 16. We're getting into the action again. 

Japanese dictionary

Kitsune-fox

Urusai-Shut up!

Daijoubu desu ka-What's wrong?

Ja ne-See you later!

Domo Arigato-Thank you.

Chapter 16: Uneasy Feelings

Manten walked up to the two.

"An-chan, it was that kitsune who stole the Shikon Shard from me. So, I just brought his female companion back instead. She can lead us to the fragment."

"Then let's go." Hiten turned around.

The two brothers walked back into the room. Akina stood there for a while, trying to figure out just what had happened between Hiten and herself. He seemed to put on an act of being cold to hide his pain. Perhaps that's it, he acted mean, thinking that maybe he would forget his pain.

It must haunt him so. 

Manten began to explain to his brother what happened between he and Shippou that day that they had been out. Akina listened closely through the hole in the wall, she was beginning to gather information slowly. All of the things began to make sense.

Hiten turned to leave, as Manten began to rid himself of Kagome once more. Kagome had managed to weasel her way out of death by telling Manten that if he killed her, he would never be able to find Shippou or the rest of the Shikon Shards. 

Hiten stopped at that, he looked back at Kagome out of the corner of his eye, seeming intrigued by what she had to say. Kagome asked if they knew of a hanyou named Inuyasha. The thunder youkai seemed a bit arrogant towards that. He almost laughed at the very mentioning of that hanyou, Inuyasha. He was only a half breed, his powers were nothing compared to that of he and Manten's.

Akina still didn't understand completely about the Shikon Shards and this little kitsune named Shippou, but she was trying to learn. She knew that Hiten would never tell her the whole story. He didn't want to put her in a situation where she would accompany them in battles, showing his obvious weakness for her. 

Plus, Akina had no fighting skills, so she would be of no help to them anyway. 

"I hope you know, Inuyasha has almost all of the Shikon Shards!" She heard Kagome almost seem to boast. 

" I don't think she's telling the truth. " Akina said to herself. She walked into the room again.

"What did I tell you?" Hiten whirled around and lunged at her.

Akina shrunk back, as if she was going to be hit.

"Gomen Hiten, I just don't think..." She winced.

"She has to be lying." Manten told his older brother.

Hiten told Akina to turn around. Akina turned half way around and Hiten pushed her out of the room with one hand. Akina stumbled into the hall and tripped.

"Ouch.."

Hiten's eyes reverted a bit towards her. He wanted to at least see if she was all right, since he had been a bit forceful with his push this time. She kept interfering and he didn't want to put her in any danger. She would not let up! He figured if he shoved her out enough she'd get the idea.

Hiten walked over and sat by Kagome. 

"Are you lying?" He asked harshly.

"Of course not. Inuyasha and I are in love. Once he finds out that you have me, he would gladly hand over the Shikon Jewel to you." She said.

Akina looked down the hall, she could see Hiten sitting beside of Kagome and Manten standing beside of the wooden bench. Manten glanced at her for a while.

"Manten!"

Manten seemed to snap out of his gaze for a while. "Hm?..Oh! Yes An-chan?"

"Pay attention. You want the Shikon Shards, don't you?" He asked.

"Of course I do. I still think she's lying though, An-chan. Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks that." He glanced down the hall.

"I really don't think we should."

"Urusai Manten."

Hiten picked up Kagome by the upper part of her fuku. "If you're lying to me, I'll do to you what I did to Aida."

Hiten threw her down. "Prepare to leave, Manten."

"Right."

Hiten walked down the hall to Akina. 

"I'm leaving again. You stay here, the battle shouldn't take long." 

Akina ran over and grabbed the Rageki-jin out of his hand.

"You can't!" 

"Nani?"

"I won't let you. She's lying, can't you see!?" Akina began to cry.

Hiten became a bit impatient. "What the hell do you think you're doing? If she's lying I'll just kill her."

"I have this feeling.."

"Ugh...Akina..."

"At least take me with you."

"Ie, I can't."

"Naze?" 

"Because, I don't want...." Hiten trailed off for a minuet, thinking about what he had just said. 

Even though he had believed that he had felt fond of Akina, he still wasn't able to completely admit it, even to himself. He looked back at the girl, tears streaming down her eyes. He had remembered not too long ago, she had wiped the salty tears from his face. He felt that once familiar feeling course though his body.

He started to remember so many things; the hot springs, the porch, that day when she had braided his hair and their talks amongst each other. 

Hiten grabbed either side of his head.

"Argh! Stop it!" He yelled.

"Daijoubu desu ka?" Akina asked. "Did you hit your head? Let me see."

She moved closer to Hiten.

"Ie!"

"Nani?" Akina shrunk back, almost in fear.

"There's nothing wrong."

"You sure?"

"Don't ask me that!"

"O...Okay..."

Akina turned her head away, she could feel a rough hand gently wipe the tears away.

"You shouldn't worry about me. No one else does..." With that, Hiten walked down the hall.

"Hiten...Onegai...don't go...." 

Hiten tried to ignore her words, but he couldn't help feeling bad about doing so. He could hear the pitter patter of her sandals on the cold floor. 

"Hiten! Wait!"

With a sigh, the young youkai turned around in the doorway. 

The small red haired figure stood slightly behind him. She held the mighty Rageki-jin in her arms. The blade of the Rageki-jin was shining bright, polished with the love Akina felt for him. Hiten just stared at her for a moment. 

"Here." Akina presented the Rageki-jin to the thunder youkai, holding the weapon horizontally as she raised it up to him. Hiten took the Rageki-jin from her and smiled an arrogant smile. 

"Good bye, Hiten. I only wish you the best of luck."

" Farewell Akina. I..."

"Come on An-chan." Manten's dark cloud slowly floated over by the doorway. Hiten turned to his younger brother and nodded as he ran out of the door and took a leap upwards, flying into the sky.

Akina walked out in front of the porch.

"Ja ne, Akina. Make us a big meal when we come back." Manten smiled.

"Sure thing!" Akina beamed. It seemed that she and Manten had grown a little closer over their period of knowing each other. Ever since Manten found out about she and his brother, he had always been more friendly then usual to her.

"Hey Akina!" She heard, it was Hiten. He was floating there, clutching his finely polished weapon, smiling at her.

"Yes?" She questioned.

"Domo arigato, for everything.." With his final words, he and Manten flew off. Akina watched the three grow farther and farther. Soon they were vanished before her very eyes. Akina stood outside for a moment after, thinking to herself of the mighty Raijuu Brothers and her love of the elder of the two, Hiten.

She wondered if she would ever see them again, this was no typical battle.

****

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Yes, yes, yes. That was an evil cliffie, but not as evil as the hot springs scene, ne? Well, as always R&R! This is one of my longer chapters. A lot of stuff happened here, sorry for the quickness of some things, the next chapter will probably go horribly slow, since it's been a while since I've seen the battle I'll probably go and watch a couple of fansubs. 

What do you think? You think Hiten and Akina will ever see each other again? You think Hiten should have admitted he loved her? Since I got a lot of "Akina/Hiten are so kawaii." I'm assuming no one thinks he should go with Aida. 

If I forgot any Japanese words, feel free to e-mail me and tell me about it. It's very hard keeping track of the Japanese I use in this story. I think I'll have about 3 more chapters, besides, I think everyone is getting tired of reading this massive collaberation of writing.

Now, as I was saying R&R or the Hiten plushie gets it!

**JOKE**

But seriously R&R...

Now! Before it's too late! Oo;


	17. Symbolism

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Here is chapter 17...did I mention that 7 is my favorite number? Thanks for all of your lovely reviews! Your such great fans! I'm trying to make it to 100 reviews! *Yes I wrote this _WAY _before I get the reviews, so if I already have 100, I'll probably get a heart attack! If this is a bit short, sorry. I seem to be running out of ideas at the moment. See, I know what the ending's gonna be, but I don't want it to end just yet. So, NO SPOILERS!!! *I'm so mean* But don't worry you'll find out soon enough!

A/N: Most butterflies in Japan are shades of orange and yellow. Just FYI incase anyone wants to know. Purple butterflies are rare in the Ushitora (_northeast_) area of Japan.

Also a mare is a female horse that has already had a foal.

Chapter 17-Symbolism

After the two left Akina found herself alone. She walked back into the shojo and looked around at the empty room and the barren, cold walls. The red haired girl walked over to her package and took the kimono Hiten had gotten for her. 

It was beautiful and it looked expensive. She had wondered where he had gotten it from. No doubt he stole it from some village that he had toppled. She smiled to herself as she held it up, gazing at the colors and the beautiful quality of the fabric and the flower design on it.

She held the fabric up to her face, it smelled musty, but it reminded her of Hiten. She had wanted him to come back, though he had just left.. Akina never felt any type of omen before his other battles, but this battle with this man, Inuyasha, she was not so sure about.

The red haired maiden walked outside, still holding the kimono close to her breast as she walked forward. She shut the door behind her as she walked slowly onto the wooden porch. The wood creaked under her feet from being wet with rain. The sky was still stormy and gray. 

Akina caught glimpse of that little yellow butterfly. It was the same one the was with her and Hiten when he had fallen asleep atop her. Akina gazed at the yellow winged insect and spoke.

"It's nice to see you back, friend. I wonder what you're doing out here by yourself. You seem so lonely." 

The little butterfly flapped it's wings wearily as it landed on the window seal. It stayed there for a while, resting itself from it's long journey. Akina stared at it for a while. There had always been plenty of yellow butterflies in Japan, but yet it remained alone.

It could have easily found a mate in the vast field of wildflowers, but it seemed as if none of the other butterflies satisfied it. The little yellow butterfly flew up from it's lengthy rest and flew out to the field. Curious, Akina followed the butterfly slowly, making sure not to scare or startle it.

Akina watched the butterfly, it never floated near the others of it's color. The butterfly would always fly a bit out from the group of butterflies that were there. The butterfly seemed to ignore other butterflies that landed on the flower or passed by it as it flew. Akina began to wonder if the butterfly was sick or injured.

The young girl sat there in the wildflowers and spied a red flower. She reached down and gently picked it. She held it up to her nose as she smelled it's sweet fragrance. The color was so vibrant, it reminded her of Hiten's eyes. They were a deep, blood red like the flower was. 

As she studied the delicate features of the flower, Akina could see a small purple object underneath one of the red petals. She gently turned the flower upside down and saw a purple butterfly. **_How rare it was! _**Akina had never seen a purple butterfly before. It seemed so mysterious, and beautiful.

The purple butterfly stayed there for a brief moment, then it fluttered over by the yellow one. It landed on the petal of another red flower. Both butterflies seemed to sit there for quite sometime. They seemed to be studying each other, looking for qualities they fancied in the other. 

The purple butterfly flew a short distance to another flower. The yellow butterfly sat on it's respected flower for a while, watching the purple butterfly. 

The yellow butterfly flew over to the purple one, and the two sat at the flower together once more, the red haired maiden was still watching in anticipation. Butterflies had always interested her, and its not everyday you saw a purple one. It was so unique and different, not another one like it's kind.

The two butterflies flew around the flower patch a while, seeming to enjoy each other's company. They fluttered together in little circles and decorative paths in the air. The interesting insects did this for quite sometime, after a few flights the yellow butterfly landed on a pink flower, exhausted from it's flight. The purple butterfly, however, was still full of life and flew around several more times.

After a few more rounds, the purple butterfly seemed to grow weary as well. It landed on a tree branch to reprieve itself. Akina watched the weary butterfly as it rested it's wings, sunning itself on the tree branch.

Suddenly, a black bird of sorts swooped down and pecked the butterfly off of the tree branch, killing it with it's beak and flying off to claim it's victory and it's meal. Akina's face to one of freight and surprise. In a flash the butterfly's life was taken, just like that.

Akina got up and ran a short distance, breathing heavily. That little butterfly reminded her of Hiten for those few seconds. Could this be a premonition of things to come?

"No.." She said faintly to herself. She had to go to the battle, the pain and worry was tearing her apart inside. She had to know if this was truly to be Hiten's last battle. Akina had always had a feeling deep in her heart that Kagome was lying. If only she had told her that she truly did feel for the red-eyed youkai, but she was cut short.

"Hiten can't..." She trailed, a single tear running down her cheek. 

Akina ran through the field as fast she could. She had kind of wished that she still had the Raigeki-jin, but was glad she gave it to Hiten. She was, after all, more concerned for his safety then hers. He had always been arrogant about the way he carried out battles. He was a grand fighter, as was Manten, so he had virtually no worries when going up against an enemy or stealing Shikon shards from them.

**Wait! ** Akina's head snapped up, coming to a sudden realization. ** Those things in Hiten and Manten's heads....They're jewels of some sort....The Shikon Shards...they have them in their heads, but if this other guy wants Shikon Shards and they are in Hiten's head....Oh no! **

The young girl took off faster through the field. She wanted to get to the battle field as fast as she could. As she ran through the trees, a few branches hit her in the face.

****

"Ouch!" She whined, but didn't slow down. What's a few scratches to the face if she could save his life? 

She found a small dirt path and ran on it. She was beginning to run out of breath. She stopped for a minuet and caught her breath. She didn't make it anywhere near the battle sight, Hiten was flying and was probably tons of miles away from her at this moment. She decided to go to the next town to get a few rides so she could make it a decent way to the battle. 

She wondered where Hiten were and if they had found Inuyasha yet. She wondered if he was fighting or if he had already been slain. She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head. She couldn't bear to think of it. 

The girl could see the tops of buildings. She had made it to the town and walked up the main road into the town. It must have been market day, there were merchants everywhere, trying to sell things and people were everywhere buying and bustling.

A little boy was walking in the town. He had been sent on an errand for his mother. The child looked up at the sky and his eyes widened. A shadow befell the village and the sky turned a ghastly black. The boy put a hand at his eyebrows and called out.

"Wow, looks like a violent storm is coming."

Akina turned her head. **A storm? ** She thought. ** A violent black storm always happens when the Raijuu Brothers are in battle. This must mean that Hiten and Manten are battling somewhere nearby. I must go to them!**

A merchant had his supplies loaded up onto a beautiful black mare. Akina looked at the man, who was untying the bridle from a large beam sticking out of the ground.

** Well, I'm a murderer, might as well be a thief too. ** Akina thought as she ran over and pushed the man down.

****

" Ah! Hey!" He shouted, from his sitting position on the ground.

"Sorry, I need this." Akina said, dumping his things off of the horse and grasping the straps on the bridal. She turned the horse around and took off through the town, the little boy watching her leave.

****

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Will Akina make it in time? Have I already asked this question? Is this chapter boring? ( Probably so) What do you think will happen next? It took me three days to finish this little story fragment. I think I'm going to go and watch some fansubs, to get me into the fanfic mode! AHHH FEAR THE PLOT BUNNIES! _@ Anyway, please R&R!

"My medication! Quick! Before I go insane!" *pulls out hair*

"Too late." -_-;


	18. A Warrior's Resolution

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Ok...For the third time. Since my computer loves to delete things when I try and write them. Here is chapter 18...*getting frustrated* It might be short. Forgive me if it is, not much is happening here. I'm going to watch the Thunder Bros. arc again because it's been a while and I really want to get the battle scene right because I'm weird and because it's a very important scene to the fanfic. Well, read, review and enjoy!

Japanese Dictionary

Ha?- Pardon?

Hiretuken- Mean bastard!

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Chapter 18: A Warrior's Resolution

Hiten and Manten flew through the air with colossal speed. Hiten was doing his usual aerial acrobatics while Manten lumbered a few feet after on the ominous dark cloud. Kagome was tightly in his grasp. After all, they wouldn't want Inuyasha's "lover" to plummet to her death, not just yet anyway.

There was always the possibility that she was lying, but even if she were, it would only result in a quicker, more painful death at the hands of the Raijuu Brothers. 

After a while, Hiten flew up beside of his younger sibling. The reptilian glanced at his older human looking brother and broke the silence...

"An-chan." He started. He had been thoroughly confused with his elder sibling and his seemingly hidden affections for his human captive. "How come we haven't eaten that red-chaired maiden yet?"

"Nani!?" Hiten asked, coming to an abrupt stop, Manten's cloud nearly ran into him.

Kagome could feel her body fling itself forward into Manten's thick arm, then fly back into his body. 

"Ouch.." She whimpered.

"Did I say something wrong?" Manten asked, not wanting to upset his brother again, and at this point, fearing to open his mouth.

"Hmpf!" Hiten jerked his head away from his brother and Inuyasha's proclaimed "lover". He thought to himself for a minuet, trying to find a reasonable excuse for keeping her around and yet killing his mate, which was the first thing his little brother brought up.

"Um..." He stuttered shakily. "No o-offense...a-an-chan, but, you killed another youkai before you killed her. "

"It was rage, nothing more." Hiten protested. "Do you think I'm stupid Manten? Have you forgotten? She's the only one who knows where the villages are that are full of women..."

That was the best excuse he could think of at the moment.

"But An-chan...All of the villages Akina has shown us are already destroyed. She told us she can't point out anymore." 

"Fool! She's hiding it, can't you see?" Hiten turned around and glared at the two.

"Well, I can see something.." Manten said under his breath. "It's really not fair, you yell at me for sparing a girl and your over there falling for one.."

"What was that?" 

"Nothing! It was nothing!" Manten spoke.

"Oh, I think you said something..." Hiten glared. "Tell me."

"I said it's not fair, because you yelled at me for sparing this girl, but you won't let me kill that one." Manten eeped.

Hiten looked at his younger sibling questioning what would make him believe he loved a human. All of the actions he and Akina have done, he was sure no one knew about his hidden affair...Maybe Akina told him...

"What did that human sway you into thinking?" Hiten crossed his arms, still grasping the Raigeki-jin.

"Ha?" Manten questioned.

"What did she tell you to make you think that I would _ever_ love such a weak creature?" Hiten's voice monotoned.

"She didn't tell me anything. You were the one I saw...." He trailed off. He didn't want to tell his An-chan the truth, it might get his face pummeled in like Aida's.

"Saw me what?" Hiten raised an eyebrow.

He thought to himself. What could Manten possibly have seen? The hot springs? The porch scene? What was it? He tried to remain his composure, but his mind was in a scurry. What would everyone think of him loving a human girl, such a weak and frail creature, and yet...She needed him...He weakness would be exposed to his enemy.. He didn't want that to happen.

"You did kiss her...I saw it...Don't kill me..." Manten seemed to pray.

Hiten laughed. "You really think that meant anything? Ha! I was simply toying with her! Don't be absurd, it never meant anything, there's nothing between us. I am her master, I command her and I shall do with her what I wish with her. I'm just making her think what I wish so she'll comply with my demands."

"How cruel!" Kagome decided to speak. "You made her think that you loved her, only so you can have your way! You disgust me!"

****

SMACK!!!

A strong hand hit Kagome's face.

"Ah!" She shrieked.

"Silence wench! I never asked for your commentary. Let's be on our way, Manten." He put the Rageki-jin over his arm and flew off, leaving Manten and Kagome, who's face was stinging from being slapped behind.

Kagome held her hot, stinging cheek. **Hiretuken! ** She thought. ** How could he use that poor girl like that!? It's bad enough he has her thinking he loves her, not only that but she's being treated horribly by them!! As soon as Inuyasha beats him, I'll get Akina thinking on the right track again. Oooo!! I can't believe him!! What a first class jerk!! ** 

Manten soon caught up with his brother, he couldn't see his face. Hiten was in deep contemplation. He was devising a plan to live. He didn't want to die and leave her alone. He had to win. He had only told her that he loved her, he hadn't told her anything yet.

Their love had been secretive and scarce. Hiten cared about himself more then he did their love, and he was determined to show her that he truly did care, it wasn't that he was a strong youkai who commands her, it was much more...

Hiten made a vow in his head, a vow to return to her, and show her how much of a lover he could be to her. He had thought his love to be more of himself then her, and he wanted to reconsolidate with his feelings, and see if he could find out what true love is. After all, he had never felt love towards anyone, and he wasn't sure of his feelings...But that girl...That simple human girl could show him the feelings he had never been shown. He felt love for his brother, but it wasn't the same...Something was different, but what?

Hiten stopped a few feet above a cluster of rocks below, he could see a small red figure speeding across them. It was Inuyasha! This was no time for Hiten to figure out his feelings, no matter how confused he was, he had to battle Inuyasha now.

This wasn't the time for love problems...

****

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Well, longer then I expected. What will Hiten ever do now? Akina's still racing to him. Can she make it in time? No spoilers, but I am thinking of making a sequel to this. Not many Hiten fics out there...*sniff* Our poor little Thunder youkai gets no respect...

Anyway, what do you think Hiten should do? Am I annoying because I ask questions at the end of every chapter? How should it end, since I am at a loss right now? ^_^; R&R and tell me about it! I might use your idea in my fic. I'm already using someone's who posted for a later part in the battle.

Review now!! Go!! Hiten's life depends on it!!


	19. Two Minds, One Heart

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Well, here it is everyone, it's the fight, and just in time isn't it? This is where a little plot twist comes into play, I'm sure you'll enjoy it, even though it's probably not exactly what you bargained for. 

Well, tell me what you think. I hope I got these right, I'm going by both canons and combining things I thought was better then the other. It's easy to do it this way, and I think I'm going more by anime canon aside from a few things that I thought made Hiten look a little better in the manga, anyway here you go!

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Chapter 19- Two Minds, One Heart

** Hmpf!, I think I'll get him while he's still in bewilderment. ** Hiten thought to himself as he pointed the Raigeki-jin down at the hanyou below, nearly striking him with the massive lightning bolt produced by the Rageki-jin.

Inuyasha stumbled away from the blast, at the same time being flung forward by the momentum and force. Inuyasha turned and glanced up, surprised to see the human-esque thunder youkai looking down upon him, wearing his usual cocky smile.

" Very impressive maneuvers, despite your unwitting conversation." the red-eyed youkai boasted, knowing that Inuyasha had been arguing with his companions below. " So you're the reputed Inuyasha..."

"That's Hiten, the elder of the Raijuu brothers." Myouga warned the hanyou.

"Manten." Hiten called to his brother, who lumbered slowly behind on the black storm cloud, carrying Kagome.

"Inuyasha!" The young girl cried out in disparity, wanting Inuyasha to save her.

"She speaks the truth." Hiten assured himself. "So hand over the jewels or you'll never see your lover again!"

Inuyasha had a dumbfounded look on his face. "See my....lover?"

"This is no time to get shy!" Kagome shouted, hoping that he would play along with her little charade.

Manten's suspicions seemed to be proving right, Kagome was lying. This means that Akina was right as well...

"I knew you were kidding, you sly vixen." Manten replied, as Kagome gave a nervous laugh.

"You're clearly mistaken.." Inuyasha began to walk up to the two floating youkai with the Tetsusaiga swung over his shoulder. 

Inuyasha and Kagome seemed to be acting on their own will, Inuyasha wasn't about to except any speculations or show a weakness in himself so Hiten and Manten would have something else to gloat about.

"We ain't lovers!" He retorted. 

"So now you think some little jewel is more important then me." Kagome tried to stay in character for the situation, but Inuyasha was being reluctant to go with her plan.

"Without love, the whole conversation seems to just **FALL APART**!" Inuyasha shouted back, obviously annoyed at Kagome's persistence.

Hiten was beginning to be annoyed by their idle chit-chat and decided to take the battle one-step closer.

"Your Shikon Shards will be **MINE**!" He shouted as he drew the Rageki-jin back and flew down at Inuyasha with tremendous speed, the blades of both weapons clashed, causing the Rageki-jin to release a set of bolts of lightning surging throughout the land.

Inuyasha was trying to hold him back, not daring to let the Raigeki-jin touch him, or the lightning for that matter.

** No one can withstand my attacks for very long! ** Hiten thought to himself, assuring an early victory.

**I will win this battle, for you Akina. I'll come back to you, this I promise myself. I'll beat Inuyasha and then I'll tell you what I feel and then we can be together, truthfully with no circumstances...** Hiten smiled to himself. ** You never questioned who I was, and you've always been there...I've been so blind, so blind and so ignorant, letting this power trip get to me, I still want the Shikon jewel shards, but now I think I've finally sorted it out. I know what I feel now, and no wretched hanyou will stand in my way now. **

Inuyasha felt a sudden bust of power surge throughout him and was able to push the thunder youkai back a decent way.

Manten and Kagome simply observed his brother's fight from high in the dark sky, riding upon the fluffy black cloud.

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Akina hurried as fast as she could to get to the battle field. She ran until she couldn't run anymore. The red haired maiden had already ran the horse as far as she could go, and now it was simply up to her to hope that she reached it in time.

She could see small flashes, it was hard to try and distinguish them from thunder, or beams from the Rageki-jin. If Manten was around, surely she'd see him riding atop his infamous cloud, but she saw nothing.

Perhaps the Raijuu brothers were battling near a bunch of rock formations, making it harder for her to see them clearly.

**Hiten...Why did you have to go? Why?...I know your fighting instinct and urge for these "Shikon shards" makes you obliged to search for more to become more powerful, but...you have the shards in your body and that would mean that if you lost....Inuyasha would get them, and take them from you...You'd be dead...and I don't think I could handle that...** Akina stopped, out of breath, looking at the dark skies for some sort of sign, but found none.

She fell to her knees, out of breath and huffing and panting with all of her might. She was determined to get to Hiten before it was too late.

" If I can save your life, Hiten...Then we could start over, and it would be worth dying for...Besides, I never told you all of how I felt...Guess you never know how precious something is to you until you're being put through a time like this. I won't let you die, I love you too much..." Akina could feel the tears flowing down her face. " I don't care if you love me back."

She arose once more and took off running again, her body felt as if it was going to collapse, but her determination and desire fueled her body to go faster.

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****

Well, there's the first part of the battle. Finally, the revelation, Hiten just had to be sure of what he felt for Akina, and so I decided to solve his problems, but as the battle rages on, will he be able to keep his promise to her?

Find out in chapter 20 and don't forget to R&R!!!


	20. A Brother's Sorrow

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Now that I've got everyone's hearts racing about what will happen to our beloved bishie, Hiten, I'll get to the second part of the battle, I have no idea how long this is going to be, even though I JUST got finished watching these eps I'm already starting to forget.

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Chapter 20: A Brother's Sorrow

Akina's chest ached and her head spun from the lack of oxygen flowing to her muscles. She stopped, almost falling to the ground. 

"I can't stop running...." She said, to the point of tears. "I have to save you, Hiten..."

She took large, gasping breaths, coughing up some fluids from her body, and laying there completely tired.

She closed her eyes for a little bit to rest. 

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Kagome and Shippou were running from the lumbering Manten, who still had an arrow stuck through his nose. The reptilian hobbled ever close to the frightened school girl.

Shippou decided that it was time for some all around revenge on the younger Raijuu brother and to save Kagome, of course. After all, Manten **_did _**wear the pelt of his father around his girth, like a trophy of their kill.

Shippou sent a magical top spinning on the balding head of the Thunder youkai, causing him to loose the one strand of hair he had left, and plummeting him to the ground. As soon as Manten was able to comprehend that it was nothing more then fox magic and fox magic was an illusion, he arose to his feet again, the one strand of hair falling past his view.

Tears came to the youkai's eyes, as he found out that his last strand of hair, his only hope to attract females and to be as handsome as his brother Hiten were all taken from him. 

"My hair...You took my last strand of hair..." He sniveled. Then a violent storm of rage began to seethe through his body, he could feel energy forcing it's way through his mouth. He pulled his head back and released it into a beam of energy, destroying the land and trying to hit the girl and the kitsune.

Kagome and Shippou hid behind one of the dead trees in the region as the enrages Manten lumbered around, searching for them.

"I'll use one of you for my hair potion and the other for a new pelt!" He said angrily as he blasted another part of the land. It seemed to hit Kagome and Shippou. 

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Akina opened her eyes, her body still feeling weak. 

"What am I doing?" She asked herself. "I have to get to the battle, I can't waste time. How long have I been asleep?"

She looked up at the sky, it was still dark, filled with booming thunder and flashing lightning. At least she knew that the battle wasn't over yet....

What was she thinking?

Of course it wasn't over yet...

Hiten wasn't so easily defeated.

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Inuyasha seemed to be distracted by Kagome being chocked by the younger brother, he turned his head to catch a glimpse of Kagome when he was stabbed in the shoulder by the Rageki-jin. He could feel the sharp blade pierce his muscle and flesh and let out a cry of pure agony.

Inuyasha fell to the ground, Hiten pointing the magnificent Rageki-jin just inches away from his wounded body.

"Pathetic, you don't live up to your reputation. Feelings for women, or humans for that matter will be your own downfall." Hiten glanced over to his brother, who was strangling the helpless Kagome. "What do you say, Manten?"

Manten agreed and both of them began to boast about how Manten would make earrings and pelts out of Shippou, like they had done his father. As the little kitsune stood there, balling his fists and becoming more and more enraged at every remark they made. He ran up to Manten and sunk his little fangs into the thick scaly neck of the younger Raijuu brother.

"I would let go if I were you, little fox tyke." Manten warned. "Let go!" 

The big lizard brought his fist down, striking Shippou in the head, all the while the little kistune refused to let go. He would rather die first.

"Keh! I'm innocent compared to you swine." Inuyasha told Hiten. He reached into his wound and did his Blades of Blood attack. Hiten blocked it with his Rageki-jin.

" Heh, now this is getting interesting." The thunder youkai complimented. 

While Hiten was distracted, The Tetsusaiga went flying from Inuyasha's hand and landed on it's target, though the chest of Manten, the younger of the two. He let out a horrid cry of agony and death, much like the cries of the people they had killed all of those years.

This sent a feeling up Hiten's spine that seemed to snap something in his mind, a deep concern and sadness for his brother's death. He had to go and see if he was all right. He turned and flew as fast as the flaming wheels could carry him over to his injured brother. He saw that the woman and the kitsune were in his way, and simply blasted them with the Rageki-jin.

The Thunder youkai flew over to his brother who was in much pain. He could hear the crackling breath and heaving of his brother's weary body as he struggled to breathe. Hiten could feel a strange emotion, much like the one that he had expressed on the porch to Akina, that one day. He could feel the salty water push it's way through his crimson eyes, their color swirling around in it's red essence and he had wished that Akina was there to wipe away his tears.

He put his head on his brother's body and silently cried for him. Manten could barely feel the wet tears on his skin, since his senses were fading out. He turned to take one last look at his brother's face.

He began to say something to him about having hair and wishing that he looked as beautiful as Hiten had. This made the salty substance push it's way through even more. Now his little brother would never get to witness the happiness he had always wanted to. His dreams were shattered, all because of that hanyou....

"It's not what's on the outside. " Hiten's forlorn voice quaked. "I love every last bald inch of you."

"You know, An-chan. If I were to come back, I wished to be reborn again, as a fuzzy little caterpillar, covered in hair.....No, who am I kidding? " Manten looked wearily over at his brother's pained face. "If I had a wish, I'd wish to be bald again, if I could just be your brother. Wouldn't that be nice, Hiten?"

"Manten...Please don't die." Hiten sobbed into his brother's shoulder as his body deflated in one last final desperate breath.

"Say a prayer for me, An-chan." he whispered then died with his final words.

Hiten buried his head into his brother's shoulder a bit more, the only thing he's ever cared about had been savagely ripped from him. His brother, the only one who understood him...He had no one now...No one except Akina...He would not let her go. He would avenge his brother's death and make Inuyasha pay dearly for tearing them apart like that.

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Yeah, we _all _know what happens next. But I thought I'd leave off at a good point, you know, to add up the false suspense. Well, this is chapter 20 ^_^ Yeah I really made a 20 chapter fic *celebrates* so what if it doesn't have 1,000 reviews, but the Thunder Brother's aren't as popular as Inuyasha or Kagome either.

Well R&R!!


	21. The Fallen Youkai, Manten

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Well, here is the other half of the battle, only it's not exactly how you'd think. What do I mean? Well, just read ahead and see, here is chapter 21!!

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Chapter 21:The Fallen Youkai, Manten

"**You wretches! You slaughtered my brother!**" Hiten's anger rose as he stood erect and pointed the Raigeki-jin at his brother's murderer. The tears still evident in his crimson eyes.

He could feel another emotion, besides a deep sadness, but a set of emotions that seemed mixed; sorrow, heart-ache, anger, rage, the desire to kill, the lust of blood and the determination to avenge his brother's death.

"Rest assure that we will always be together, An-chan." Hiten turned to his brother's corpse and reached into his open wound. 

The hanyou seemed quite surprised at this sudden action, the last thing that he thought Hiten would do was stick his hand in his brother's dead corpse.

Hiten pulled out Manten's heart and began to eat it. Kagome's face twisted into one of disgust. 

"Hiten's a....cannibal?"

"Not exactly, Hiten is combining the jewel shards, now instead of 3 he has the power of 5 jewel shards." Myouga told the disgusted schoolgirl.

Afterwards, she and Inuyasha began to argue about Kagome's absence during the course of events. As he and Kagome were arguing, he nearly gets blasted by Hiten's Rageki-jin again.

Hiten refused to let Inuyasha forget about his presence. The youkai was quite angry with Inuyasha and wasn't about to let him forget.

" **How _dare _you strike down my brother! I will not stop until I return the deed." **Hiten said, rage and hatred consuming his being, so much so, that it was blocking all other thought patterns. 

" **Prepare to DIE!!!" **The thunder youkai yelled as he blasted a huge ball of lightning from the Rageki-jin's blade, down toward the hanyou. 

Hiten was sure that he had succeeded in ridding himself of that worthless hanyou, Inuyasha. When the debris and smoke cleared, the hanyou was still standing there. He had blocked it was the hilt of his sword.

"Huh?" Hiten's face contorted in disbelief. 

As he was floating there, he overheard Inuyasha talking to some strange insect on his shoulder. He had mentioned a "hunch" , Inuyasha seemed quite angry that Myouga would gamble with his life relying only on a hunch, or rather an educated guess as the flea had called it.

** Keh! He got lucky that time! ** Hiten thought, powering up another huge thunder ball from the Rageki-jin. 

He released the huge ball, downward towards the hanyou, who jumped up and blocked it with Tetsusaiga's sheath. This time he was planning some attack of some type, so Hiten decided to turn it around. 

He had managed to get behind the hanyou, pushing the Rageki-jin's blade into his lower back, causing the hanyou to cry out in pain. The hanyou fell to the ground, Hiten flew after him, with the blood-tainted Rageki-jin grasped firmly in his hand.

He swung the blade downward, striking the Tetsusaiga sheath once again.

He had heard the schoolgirl state that Inuyasha was growing tired...Perfect opportunity.

** I'm wearing that half breed down. ** The murderous villain thought. ** If I can just hold out for a few moments longer, I know I can win. **

The hanyou decided to follow his instincts and take off running, but Hiten wasn't about to let him go _that _easily. He quickly took chase, the extra shards of the jewel fragment increasing his speed.

Their blades clashed over and over again as the hanyou was wearing down.

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Akina put her hand up to her chest, her breath short and her body still weary. She could see faint flashes and hear people talking. The girl had almost made it to the battlefield, and it sounded as though Hiten was still alive and possibly winning.

Her eyes shone with hope for the youkai and she began to climb the rock formations. It seemed as if she was going to make it in time.

She finally made it over the rock structures and saw Manten laying on the ground. 

"Manten." She gasped lowly to herself, not wanting to interrupt the battle between his brother and Inuyasha. 

She looked at the lizard youkai and her face felt hot, and she could feel something else that wasn't quite placed. The red haired girl could feel a bit of water come to her eyes and see her visions blur. 

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Was she crying....for Manten?

Poor Manten.

Poor, poor Manten.

He had been killed by something or someone in a brutal way. Hiten must've been torn in half when whatever had killed him did. She felt so bad for him. 

He already had a lot of pain and now it was amplified, it was as if someone stabbed him in the heart, literally. She laid a hand on Manten's snout, feeling the now cold skin of the mighty Raijuu brother in sorrow.

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Why?

Why was she sad for someone who had treated her badly in her previous encounters?

The Thunder Brothers had been the only family she had known during the course of time. Manten had been like an older brother to her at times. She couldn't help but cry for him.

She sat by the large fallen figure and cried on his shoulder.

Over the distance, the blades clashing and bright flashes of lighting, in the midst of the battle, Hiten became distracted. Something was watching them, other then Kagome, Myouga and Shippou, but what?

Inuyasha saw that he had became distracted and swung the sheath of Tetsusaiga, missing his face by inches, but causing Hiten to stop in his tracks.

Suddenly, out of no where, an arrow hits left wheel and it shatters into a million bits. Hiten tried to keep in the air, the wheel on his right leg producing more fire to help him stay afloat. 

Inuyasha, responding to Hiten's shock, grabbed the Raigeki-jin by it's blade, causing lightning to be sent out across the land.

Akina saw where the lighting had been coming from and rushed over to watch the battle of Hiten and Inuyasha, hoping that the end would not be so forlorn.

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Yeah, I know. I've interrupted the battle, not once, but twice. I'm so mean, I do thank you all so much for reviewing. Some of you asked about a sequel. I think I might make one. I had one planned, but it's still a thought.

R&R!

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	22. Confesions of the Heart

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Here it is! The revelation! It's the ending of the battle, but is it the ending of the fanfic? Nope not really. Why you may ask? You'll see ^_^ I hope you like the outcome!

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Chapter 22: Confessions of the Heart

Akina ran over the rocks, accidentally tripping on one of them. She tore the bottom of her silken yukata, but cared more about Hiten's life then she did the clothes he had stolen from her.

Inuyasha drew his fist back and it promptly made contact with Hiten's jaw, making some spit fly from Hiten's mouth. His head flinging backwards, almost seeming to detach itself.

Hiten went catapulting back into a rock, smashing the earth and the rock below it.

"Not bad for a half breed, aye Hiten?" Inuyasha boasted.

While Inuyasha was boasting, Hiten was working on getting up, once he was up, he held his face and rubbed his jaw line. 

"I've never been struck in the face before, and I refuse to let it happen again!" Hiten yelled, insulted by the fact that a mere half breed could get away with striking him in the face.

Hiten pulled the Rageki-jin behind him, as if he were going to strike Inuyasha again.

"I'll see you in hell, you swine!" He shouted.

He went forward with the Rageki-jin, trying to strike the hanyou down, but he yet again was able to block with the powerful sword sheath. The elder brother was determined to kill the hanyou below him and he could hear the sheath cracking.

"I'll relish your death more then any other, half breed." Hiten spied Kagome and Shippou over towards Inuyasha's direction. He decided to get rid of the two annoyances, so he mouth blasted them, a power that he had gained from his brother.

The two lay on the ground, they appeared dead. Inuyasha seemed to snap into the rage that Hiten was in. He yelled several obstinacies at the youkai and talked about how he should be sorry for killing his friends. Hiten? Sorry for killing his friends? What _friends?_ Friends cannot constitute for the death of someone who was flesh and blood. That cannot replace a brother's love and understanding..

No.

Nothing can replace that.

The blades clash once more, and this time, the Tetsusaiga is called to Inuyasha's hand.

Akina huffed as she neared them, she saw Inuyasha and Hiten, the Tetsusaiga raised, about to strike the youthful youkai in the head. Her eyes widened in fear.

" **HITEN!!**" She shrieked as the sword blade came crashing down. Hiten was caught off guard as he turned to see Akina standing there, the blade missed his head, but got him in the chest. It was a deep wound.

"Akina!" He replied.

"What the hell?" Inuyasha wrinkled his face, he seemed puzzled by the sudden change of events.

The red haired girl ran over to Hiten. 

Hiten was so surprised by her appearance that his shock overcame his pain. The Thunder youkai's once cold eyes shone with something deep, he could feel the red fluid running down his chest, soaking his clothes and weakening him. He looked at both of his hands, his precious Rageki-jin had been broken in half.

"A-Akina, what....are you doing here?" He said, slightly after his eyes closed and he came crashing to the ground.

Akina ran over and caught him before he hit the ground. She held him close, as a mother would her child.

"Hey! What did you do that for?" Inuyasha asked. "I almost had him."

"Please, Mr. Inuyasha-sama sir. Don't kill him." Akina asked on the verge of tears.

"Why not?" The hanyou's rough voice asked. "He killed Kagome and Shippou."

"No he didn't, look." Akina pointed to the schoolgirl and the kitsune, who got up wearily from the ground. They stood up slowly, as the hanyou watched.

"Kagome!" He shouted back at the schoolgirl and the kitsune.

"Inuyasha!" She turned to look at the hanyou and saw something she had not expected.

"Akina!" 

The red haired maiden looked back at her. "Kagome."

"Akina, you've got to listen to me. Hiten doesn't really love you!" Kagome shouted.

"He's just using you!"

"Nani?" Akina looked as if someone had cracked her heart with a nut cracker. 

"I know you don't want to believe it, but it's true. He said it himself!" Kagome replied.

A small crystalline tear escaped Akina's eye, venturing down her cheek and ultimately falling on the youkai's face.

Hiten gently shifted in Akina's arms, then half way opened his eyes to look at her. She was crying. Crying for him.

"Hmm....Akina.." He whispered. 

The young girl looked down at him. "You don't love me, do you? It was all just a game, wasn't it? "

Hiten could feel tears form in his own eyes, and he didn't know why. It hurt him inside to hear Akina speak of those things, it hurt even more then the laceration he had sustained in battle. 

"Akina..." The youkai whispered once more. "That's far from the truth. I care about you, more then you could ever know, I was just too foolish to except it. My heart said yes, but my mind said no. I was dwelling on the fact that I was a youkai and you a human. Nothing ever got past that. Now I see, that love doesn't care...What an ironic time to figure it out, huh?"

"Hiten.." Akina's tears doubled in production as she leaned in a bit towards the youkai.

Inuyasha and Kagome stood there, looking a bit confused. The hanyou hadn't expected his battle to turn out quite like this, and was still debating on whether to kill Hiten or not. He _did _have the Shikon on Tama shards and he had abducted Kagome and possibly tried to kill her. 

Hiten had once told him that no woman was worth fighting for, but the true question was...Did he mean it?.. Surely not.

"Akina..." Hiten continued. "I wanted to win the fight and return to you. I wanted to tell you that I love you. " The youkai smiled. He finally smiled a pain filled smile. A smile of love and happiness

Inuyasha walked over to the two and raised the Tetsusaiga in the striking position. Akina hugged Hiten tightly, this was it. They were going to die together.

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*evil laughter * Yeah, I know, I know I stopped at a very evil place and I will try and update as soon as I can. I'm not sure about what I want to happen as of yet. I could have Hiten jump in the way or maybe have Kagome "Sit/Osuwari" Inuyasha. What do you all think?

Please R&R!!


	23. Physical and Emotional Pain

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Well, you're all correct. I didn't end the fic there or it would have said *COMPLETED* by the Raiden no Ai summary. Anyway, this has quite a bit more chapters to go before any of the fic ends, I'm guessing about 30 chapters. *as people die in the background* 

Japanese terms

Osuwari- a Japanese term used for making dogs sit on command. This is what Kagome says in the Japanese version of Inuyasha to "sit" Inuyasha.

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Chapter 23 : Physical and Emotional Pain

Kagome watched, wide eyed at what was about to happen. Hiten, and possibly Akina were going to die. The school girl was in a bind that desired a split-second decision.

Hiten had told her that he didn't truly have feelings about Akina. He had made excuses that seemed valid for his actions. Things seemed to change quickly, though. Now Hiten was laying on the ground, the red essence flowing from the open wound in his chest. He was in Akina's arms and not struggling against it. It was as if he had wanted it, as if his last request had been to be with Akina. The youkai looked so content in the arms of this girl. He had told her that his feelings were genuine, and his tears seemed to be real...This was so confusing!!

Kagome looked as if she had been struggling with her inner emotions. She had to hurry and make a decision, before she regretted it.

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"Inuyasha Osuwari!" 

Inuyasha felt a sudden tugging sensation from around his neck. His face lit up with surprise and it promptly collided with the hard, rocky ground below. Akina held Hiten's body closer to her bosom and her grip tightened at the sudden thump of the hanyou's "sit". 

"Ow!" Inuyasha screamed, rubbing his head with both hands. The Tetsusaiga lay on the ground beside of his feet. He turned sharply to Kagome and shouted. 

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"HEY, KAGOME! WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR!?"

"I'm sorry Inuyasha. I can't let you kill him." Kagome shouted back.

"What!?" The hanyou seemed angry. "Why the hell not!?!"

"I can't let you kill him, Inuyasha." Kagome argued. "He and this girl love each other. Can't you see?"

"But Kagome..." Shippou started.

"But nothing Shippou. I won't let him kill Hiten." 

Akina slowly opened one eye, still clutching Hiten's wounded body close to her being. She slowly moved her red bangs out of the way and saw the hanyou, bending slowly over to pick up the Tetsusaiga, the very instrument that was almost her death.

"Huh?" The word escaped her mouth in a slight whisper.

Hiten still lay there in her arms. He was too weak to muster the strength to do anything else. The thunder youkai was in Akina's arms, as pathetic as the situation may have been to him in the back of his mind, the majority of his mind was telling him to be happy. He could hear the muffled voices of Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippou as they argued about what to do with he and Akina.

"But we need the jewel shards if I'm ever to turn into a full demon." The hanyou still seemed to argue.

Hiten could feel small, warm, crystalline droplets hit his face, as if it were just beginning to rain. His body was numb from the incision and weak from blood loss. His crimson gaze befell the broken Rageki-jin that lay a few feet across from him. The dark haired man examined the weapon.

The blade was tattered and covered in blood, the blood of the hanyou. It was no longer shiny and lacked that new appearance that Akina had given it when she shone it for him before they departed. The blade was dull and lacked any vibrancy or life what-so-ever. 

The handle had been severed in two, the wood was covered in dust, blood and knicks and scratches from the long battle. It lay there on the cold, hard earth, shattered in pieces. He could repair it...It wouldn't be like it used to, but that was a minor detail...He just wondered if he could restore his life like he was planning to restore the Rageki-jin. 

He flinched at a sharp pain that had been emitted up his spine. He gazed back up to Akina, who had been crying since he had been struck with the Tetsusaiga. Inuyasha had been telling her not to cry. He seemed to be sort of frantic about it. The hanyou hated when women cried. If Hiten had been well enough, he would have told Inuyasha to back away from **_his_** Akina, but as for the present, he was trying to control his rapid breathing so he didn't spill out as much blood.

The dark haired man seemed to be in a zombie-ish state of contemplation. He had been thinking of many things...How he wished that he should have told Akina that he loved her...He had almost said it, but Manten interrupted. Guess you never know how vital those few moments are until your staring death straight in the eye.

He wanted to kiss Akina's tears away. The youkai desired to be with her, protecting her, not letting her go...His Akina...He had told Inuyasha that to love a woman would be foolish, if he lived by his own preaching's, wouldn't that classify him as a fool?...Guess so. He had said no woman was worth dying for...But there was an exception...The exception that showed him that he wasn't just a cold hearted bastard who was wonderfully evil, homicidal, woman abusing, arrogant youkai, but something much more. She had showed Hiten feelings that he had never even knew existed. 

She showed him that he was kind by letting her live and allowing her to prove herself to him. He was compassionate, not just about battle, but in the way he cared for her. He was gentle, sure, things were rough a crude at first, but he eventually warmed up to her. She had also shown him that he was a sad and lonely individual deep down inside. He was misunderstood and very few people took the time to understand him besides Manten.

"Hmmmm...." Hiten let out a muffled noise before a darkness consumed him. The youkai could feel a black abyss take over his body, and those last words he heard before he went into a state of unconsciousness was......

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"I love you, Hiten."

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This is NOT the end. It looks like it, but it's not. Hiten's not dead yet, I'm going to give him a fighting chance. I'm going to update soon. Am I evil? Yes, but I am also kind by not leaving you hanging ^_^ R&R!


	24. A HeartFilled Talk

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Well, time for chapter 24, I hope this story was entertaining enough so far. I've probably left you in a lot of suspense all of that time with no update and all. If I could only count the reviews that say "update or I'll do one of the following: kill, eat, beat, lock you in a closet...and anything else I can think of." 

But that's ok, I find them amusing ^_^ Well, read, review and enjoy!

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Japanese dictionary:

Yukata-A summer kimono, worn by Japanese females.

Ne-Huh?

Ga-But

Omae o korosu- I'm Going to Kill You!

Ie-No

Gomen kudasai- Excuse me

Daijoubu desu ka?-What's wrong? Are you ok?

Chapter 24: A Heart-filled Talk

Akina swung the youkai over her shoulder and began to stagger away. She heaved and swayed under the heavy body. In one hand, she grasped Hiten's wrist, his head lay upon her shoulder, and in her other hand, she grasped the Rageki-jin. She didn't want to leave Hiten's prized weapon behind.

She could smell the coppery essence of Hiten's blood, it stained her brand new yukata that he had gotten for her. She could faintly hear the three oddities argue as she staggered away.

"You're so stubborn, Inuyasha!" Kagome's voice rang.

"I'm stubborn!?" Inuyasha yelled in protest. "You're the one who's letting our jewel shards get away!!"

"What?! Me!?!"

"Kagome, I hate to admit but I agree with Inuyasha on this one." Shippou agreed. "The Raijuu brothers killed my father."

"But Akina loves him!" She shouted. "Why do you guys always have to pick on me?!"

"I'm not pickin' on ya, I'm telling the truth!" Inuyasha argued back. "Look, Kagome, we need those jewel shards."

Akina's eyes began to glow with determination. **Well, ** She thought **You're not getting the jewel shards in Hiten's head, Inuyasha. Thanks for giving me time to leave, Kagome. I'll repay you someday, when I can think of a way how.**

As they walked further and further, the red haired maiden could feel Hiten slightly shift atop of her. She could feel her shoulder wet with Hiten's and Manten's blood. (A/N: Remember Hiten ate Manten's heart.) 

**Please don't wake up, Hiten-sempai...** She thought to herself.

Hiten shifted slightly and his crimson eyes slowly cracked open. He could feel the feathery texture of Akina's fiery hair and feel her body shift and sway under him. He could see the ground move step by step, as if he were floating slowly, but he was not strong enough. That blow had taken a lot from him and he could barely breathe, much less anything else.

"A-Akina.." Hiten said, his voice slightly in a whisper-ish tone, causing Akina to blush slightly.

"W-w-w-what are you doing?"

"I'm taking you to rest..." Akina responded. "You're hurt."

"Take me back. Let me fight Inuyasha, I want to win for you." Hiten almost begged.

"I can't."

"Ne? Doushite?"

" I don't want you to die." The red haired maiden was almost to the point of tears. "Please, don't die on me...I don't know what I'd do without you, Hiten-sempai." 

"Akina....sempai....Aishiteru ga...."

"But what?" Akina stopped, being far enough away not to see nor hear Inuyasha or Kagome. 

She could hear Hiten's rasping and crackling breath and could feel the winces and flinching his that his body was doing. She could barely even feel his light and feathery breath on her neck. She glanced behind her and could see a small stream of red fluid trailed on the rocks and dirt behind her.

"I wanted to avenge Manten and win that battle..." Hiten replied. "I wanted to come back and stand in the shouji door, triumphant and holding his Shikon Shards in my hands, becoming more and more powerful. Nothing could stop me then...I had longed many years for this moment, and now I lay here, humiliated by that _half breed. _I swear, Inuyasha...Omae o korosu..."

The young girl gave Hiten a sympathetic look. 

"Please, can't you think about that later? I want to help you now." She replied. "When your better, then you can find Inuyasha and avenge your brother..."

"Besides," Akina said further. "You have 5 fragments now, I'm sure if you trained hard enough that you would become stronger then Inuyasha. You almost beat him."

"You were watching?"

"Hai, you fought so well. When Inuyasha attacked you...Surely, I thought...." She could feel the tears well up in her eyes. 

"Ie, Akina, I couldn't die, not without returning to you. I'd rather die in your arms, and see your face before I took my last breath." Hiten replied.

"You really love me, for real this time?" Akina asked the crippled youkai.

"Ne?" Hiten questioned.

"You're not going to let your pride take over? You're not going to shun me away..." She trailed off at the point of tears.

She then felt Hiten gently nuzzle the crook of her neck. This was it. He had made a resolution to admit his love when the battle was over and it was over now...True, the youthful youkai didn't live up to his end of the resolution completely, he didn't return home from the battle safely, but he was there for Akina and he admitted his love. He was taking a step in the right direction.

He was going to make a full recovery, with Akina's help, and then he was going to return and kill that hanyou. They would cross paths again one day, and Inuyasha had better watch his back when they do...

Hiten made a slight smile to himself, thinking about how he was going to rip Inuyasha apart limb from limb. Make him feel his suffering. At that moment, the youkai make a slight squeak of pain, the numb feeling that he had felt for so long was beginning to dissipate and he was now feeling the sharp pains 10 times magnified. He could feel the pain course throughout his body. It almost forced tears through his eyes again.

He felt so weak...Weak, humiliated, and he was suffering on a grand scale. Hiten had never even been struck in the face until his battle with Inuyasha, much less mortally injured. The dark-haired youkai rested his head upon Akina's shoulder and closed his eyes about half way. He was growing tired.

Akina had been walking up to an old, abandon hut. No one appeared to be around as the red haired maiden examined the background carefully. She stood there, wondering if she should enter. It was rude to show up uninvited, but Hiten desperately needed help. The people in this town knew of the Raijuu brothers, and she didn't think they'd swallow their pride to help their enemy, especially from what Hiten had told her.

She decided to venture into the hut to find out if anyone was there. She walked into a room with a man laying there, as if he were asleep. 

"Konnichi wa, .Gomen kudasai" She said quietly. 

The man gave no answer and lie there in an emotionless sleep.

"Daijoubu desu ka?" Akina asked, trying to peer over the man, but to no avail.

The red haired maiden lay her youkai love gently down on a small futon that was in the room. He made a slight pain-filled moan as his body gently made contact with the cloth. Even the slightest touch pained him.

Akina walked over to the silent individual to see what the problem was.

****

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Well, that was one of my longer chapters. ^_^ guess I owe everyone for that amazingly short chapter I've had in there. Well, tell me what you think and R&R. Thanks for all of your support. 


	25. Let Me Help You

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Yes, I'm back with chapter 25...Will this fic ever end? I'm not quite sure, but things seem to be winding down, sadly. I'm really enjoying all of the reviews and I'm shocked to get so many! Hiten sure does have a lot of fans! 

Thanks all for you're support. Also a thanks to FireCatRich and Jbob for their wonderful ideas. I'm going to use bits and pieces of them and see what I can come up with.

Read and review!

Warning-This chapter may get a little detailed and graphic. Hiten is talking about a dead samurai and gets a bit descriptive....Just thought I'd tell you. If you fail to ignore the warning, it's your own fault.

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Japanese dictionary:

Ore-sama-I (very cocky male with honorfic)

Chapter 25: Let Me Help You

Akina touched the lifeless form's shoulder and rolled him onto his back. As the figure rolled over, she could see his figure a little better.

The man appeared to be a young samurai, with facial hair. He appeared in his mid 20's and wore the typical clothes for a warrior of his stature. The body had his long black hair pulled back in the usual topknot. His eyes were rolled back into his head and he looked as if he had been beaten or injured by some sort of weapon. The red liquid poured from his mouth like a stream and she backed up quickly and put a hand over her mouth and gasped.

"He's dead..." Akina responded.

She glanced back over at Hiten, who had been in an eerie state of silence. The young girl had always remembered the thunder youkai as being a rambunctious man, full of energy and life. To see him laying there in pain and silence killed her on the inside. Akina looked at him sympathetically. 

The young maiden had wondered if there was anything in the house to help Hiten. She got up and glanced back at the youkai once more.

"Hiten-sempai...I'm going to look for something to help your wounds. I won't be gone for long. " She told the almost lifeless figure. "Please don't die."

Akina could feel a crackle in her voice with those last words, and could see tears welling up in her eyes. She walked away before Hiten could see her unshed tears.

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The fallen thunder youkai lay there in pain. He slowly opened his crimson eyes, those eyes so full of pain and suffering. He turned his head slowly over to see the dead samurai, who's milky white eyes were staring back at him.

"What're you looking at?" He asked the dead man coldly. "It's as if you scoff at me silently...Keh, no wonder you're dead...Wretched fool."

The dark haired man brought a shaky hand to his chest. The contact it made with his laceration made him wince in pain. The blood was beginning to dry and form a flaky exterior to the tender muscle tissue beneath it. He coughed up a few more sprays of blood and gave a couple of deep heaves. 

Hiten gazed at the figure once again, his eyes never leaving that face. . . That face who was twisted so, twisted in pain. It had seemed like the man was silently screaming, his voice lost in his soundless death. 

"I bet you're already screaming, aren't you? Screaming in hell where the fires char your bones, along with your family and anyone else who had ever thought that they could defy the thunder brothers.." Hiten wore his trademark smile and gave a low, demonic laugh, shortly followed by a few coughs.

"No one escapes the wrath of Hiten. Ore-sama will return, stronger and more powerful then before...Hiten, elder of the thunder brothers shall live again." His smile widened.

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Akina walked slowly back into the room, her hand full of bandages and other crude medical supplies. She sat the pile down beside of the tired youkai. 

Hiten's face softened from it's usual arrogant look when he lay eyes upon his new found mate. He still wore his trademark smile, but for a different purpose, the smile seemed to say "now you belong to me". Akina gave him a quaint smile back, hiding her worry.

"I'm going to get some water, ok?" She replied. 

"Akina..." Hiten murmured. "Do you believe me when I told you all of those words on the battlefield?"

Akina turned half way when she got in the doorway. 

"Yes, I do."

The fire haired maiden was looking for a let down this time. She had a look of sadness and disappointment on her face. the girl was looking for any excuse that Hiten was about to say. It could be a number of things, his head wasn't in the right place, the pain was too much for him to comprehend...

She held the basin closely to her chest, and anticipated his words. It was as if she could see his mouth move, but couldn't hear his words. 

"Aishiteru, Akina-sempai....I really meant it. I think I had fallen for you long ago...When we were in the hot springs, and I had said I thought I could love you. I was simply saying it so I wouldn't have to kill you in the near future, after all, I still needed you to find those villages full of beautiful women for Manten and I to devour...Except you...I'd never think of such an ungrateful act. "

Hiten coughed a few more times, clearing his throat of the blood that had forced it's way up. He swallowed the coppery substance with a hard gulp before continuing.

"After a while, I began to think to myself, if I had really loved you....I began to see you as more then just a captive..."

Akina walked a few steps over to the side of the futon and sat down on her knees, holding the basin of water. She looked into the clear substance and saw her own face. Her reflection looked as if she had aged 20 years and was seeing a futuristic version of herself. The girl put a pale hand to her white face and saw her bloodshot eyes from crying and red cheeks. She saw the same look in her eyes as she did in Hiten's . That look of suffering and despair. 

"Akina..."

"Nani?" Akina asked, slowly looking over at the thunder youkai. 

Hiten just stared, what seemed to be blankly at the dull roof of the hut. It was strange, he seemed so content, though he had been suffering.

Hiten then reverted his look to Akina. It was true, the mighty youkai was now dependant on her...But wasn't he before? He had depended on her before, to seek out the villages with the women for them to devour. She was the only women Hiten saw more in then a bed warmer or something to abuse. 

Suddenly, Akina's face turned a shade of bright red. She nervously held a fist up to her mouth.

"Um...Hiten..."

"Hm?"

"I..I have to take your clothes off...T-to...." Akina began to stutter.

She felt a warm, tan skinned hand upon hers. She quickly turned her head to Hiten, who was smiling faintly at her.

"As long as your here with me, I don't care what you do."

****

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Well chapter 25 is over and man this is going to be long and drug out O_o; Anyway, I've decided to make a sequel, as soon as the last chapter is up, there will be the first chapter of the sequel will be up, so I hope you all enjoy it and also read the sequel!

Anyway, the next chapter is full of WAFF so R&R!!


	26. A Smile of Happiness

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Hello once again. Time for my weekly updates! Chapter 26 is here so have no fear! Wow, I'm getting into some more fluff, as Akina is tending to Hiten's wounds. So now we are getting into one of the intense part, the recovery part. 

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Chapter 26: A Smile of Happiness

Akina began to remove Hiten's clothes.

She held his torso close to herself and gently removed his armor and mass amounts of decorative ribbons and feathers that adorned his attire. Then she proceeded to remove his shirt. The girl was careful around the laceration, trying to remove it as carefully as she could gently and slowly pulling it from the cut.

The clothing was stuck in the cut, some of it deeply. As the red haired maiden pulled the blood soaked cloth gently out of the cut, the black haired man on bottom hissed and groaned in pain. 

Once Akina had gotten all of the clothing and bits of armor that had been pushed in by the Tetsusaiga. A few tears filled with pain managed to escape the youkai's crimson eyes. 

He could, shortly after, feel a cold cloth gently wipe away his tears. It felt cold, as if the gentle rain itself was washing away his tears and purifying his soul with it's gentle wave as it fell.

The dark haired man calmed down and his breath began to subside and he let out a contented sigh. 

The red haired girl gently touched the rag to Hiten's vulnerable skin. The chill of the cold water sent shivers coursing throughout Hiten's body. It was rubbing his raw and tender flesh around his wound and made him hiss and wince in pain. Once the pain was so intense that Hiten had brought his shaky hand up to Akina's hand and gripped her wrist.

"H-Hiten-sama.." She whispered. 

Hiten turned his head to the side and let out a few huffs of breath. 

"I know it hurts, but you must let me finish. You might not get better if you don't let me clean your wound out." Akina whispered gently to the youkai, calming his soul a bit. Hiten's breathing slowed and he just lay there, content and solemn. 

Akina couldn't help but let her eyes wander at Hiten's physique. She had remembered when she first saw the muscled exterior. That fated day in the hot springs. The day when he said that he could love her. The day they had shared so many moments together, and the day that changed their lives.

She remembered the ups and downs of their relationship, and how she used to be so afraid of the Raijuu Brothers and their wild, untamed nature. The red haired maiden had wondered what she was thinking back then. The two thunder youkai were nothing more then two unhappy demons who longed to be understood. Sure, they hated humanity, but there was good reason.

Humanity caused them to grow up in a hostile environment and molded them into who they are, or were now. They had made them think they were heartless bastards who longed for nothing more then pain, misery, death and destruction. Their youkai instincts play a part as well, but humans helped make matters worse.

Akina wrapped the bandages gently and slowly, slightly elevating the thunder youkai's body off of the ground so he wouldn't have to roll over. Soon, after the bandaging was done, she held him in her arms for a while, cradling his body gently.

He had fallen asleep...

He needed it. 

** Rest well, Hiten-sempai. ** Akina thought to herself, still holding him. ** Everything will be all right now. **

She looked over at the Raigeki-jin which lay slightly beside him in two pieces. 

Her glance then returned to the sleeping youkai in her arms. She was happy that he loved her, and wanted to make up for any lost time that the two of them had not shared. Akina could feel his cold skin against her, and the rise and fall of his body with every breath. 

Hiten's breath were small though, shallow and barely notable at all. Every once in a while, he would have a breathing complication and cough up some blood. Akina was wondering if she had done something wrong to the wound, or if the blood was just the remainder of that which had run up in his lungs.

She had finally laid the youkai down on the futon and propped his head up with a small pillow. the fiery haired girl then covered him with a few blankets and sat on her knees beside of him, undoing his braid and letting his long, raven hair flow freely around him, like a black abyss.

** Poor Hiten... ** She thought to herself as she watched him laying there, almost as if he were dead.

She looked at one of the hands that lay on top of the blanket. The girl put her hand atop his and could feel him flinch at the warm contact. She could hear a faint whisper emit from Hiten's mouth.

"Akina..."

"Yes?" Akina replied in the same tone, afraid that she had waken him, and blushing slightly.

Hiten lifted his hand above hers, and gently held it, and for once in his life, he actually smiled in content and maybe even happiness.

" I'm not alone anymore...." He replied in that same wisperish tone.

"You're smiling, Hiten." Akina beamed. She had longed to see a happy Hiten for a long time. 

Ever since she had met him, she had only seen him smile one other time that she could remember out of happiness. The other smiles were from him getting his way or being malicious and evil.

His eyes slowly opened and he turned his head slowly to her, it laying on the pillow on it's side.

"You're too kind to me..." He replied, even oddly enough in a kind tone.

"Because I love you." Akina told him back.

"Even after all of the things I've done...I killed your village and your family..." Hiten replied, almost seeming sorrowful about it.

"None of that matters now. What matters is that you get some rest. " 

"You...Forgive..me?" Hiten's eyes widened. 

He was shocked...

Shocked that she had forgiven him.

But why?

Why would she forgive him? 

She was just sitting there, seeming so content with what he had done in the past...It was almost as if it didn't matter to her at all...Those lost lives didn't matter.

Nothing did...

Did he have that much of an effect on her that she would feel so emotionless towards the deaths of her own family?

"I can't go back. You know that, Hiten." She spoke up, looking into his eyes, trying to decipher what he was thinking. "My family would have cast me out for such a horrible deed anyway. It's not like the village would welcome me back with opened arms even if it still existed. But I don't care, I love you and nothing will change that, Hiten."

Hiten swore a small smile on his face and gently drifted back off to sleep, but this sleep was a peaceful one, filled with a new found feeling.

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Well, that was a long chapter, ne? I added one more page to it because some of my other chapters seemed shorter. I still have more to come, and more fluff, angst and good old fashioned romance. I hope you're enjoying my little fic so far.

Please R&R and thank you so much for making this one of my most popular fics! I'll put up a thanks page when I'm done, and don't forget to check out the sequel as well!


	27. Alone in The Rain

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Ok, here we go with chapter 27! *dances around* This is my longest fic ever, I think. And I'm glad your all enjoying it. Thank you so much for your effort, and if you like my fics, feel free to check out my mailing list, where you'll get all of my updates.

Oneesan_Updates_Fanfics@yahoogroups.com

Anyway, here we go with chapter 27!

Read, review and enjoy!

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Chapter 27- Alone in the Rain

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The sky was still dark and gray, though a single day has passed since the day Hiten and Akina had came to the hut in the mountains. There seemed to be little sun in the room, just as his old domain had been. 

The youkai raised slowly up, his wound still causing him pain. Hiten brought his still shaky hand up to his chest again and hissed in pain. 

The dark haired man noticed that his hair had been taken down, and saw Akina sleeping a few feet away from him, curled up on the floor, wrapped in a yellow blanket. The red haired maiden seemed peaceful enough, in an almost enchanted sleep. 

He could feel himself smiling at her from his position across the room. 

She had changed him over the time they had known each other. He had transformed from a cruel and sadistic figure to a kind and gentle creature, capable of love. The girl changed his internal feelings, he is still able to be himself, and his love made him realize that life was worth living, and while he used to live life untamed and on the edge, he would now be able to live life more conservatively.

The red haired girl loved him for who he was on the inside and she looked past the fact that he was a youkai who had slain so many people so ruthlessly. She loved that he was wild and untamed. The girl even loved his morbid and dark sense of humor. The maiden loved his sadistic nature.

She loved him for him, not for what he was.

The thunder youkai could hear the faint sprinkling of rain hitting the sides of the hut. The youth sat there for a while, listening to the quiet rain, and looking about the hut.

He remained in his place for a vast amount of time, with one knee propped up and his forearm laid wearily across his knee. After quite a while of sitting, Hiten finally mustered the strength to stand up. The tanned figure slowly stood up, steadying himself as he stood. The man shakily put one foot in front of another, slowly and carefully, making sure not to fall or cause a noise. The dark haired male didn't want to wake Akina and was sure that she had been up all night worrying for him.

Hiten walked up to the shouji door and slid it open, then carefully slid it shut after he had made his way outside and walked slowly over to the edge of the porch and sat there, leaned against one of the wooden pillars. 

The youkai's gaze spread out across the dull land before him. He studied the familiar structures of the land and took in the senses of the rain. Hiten closed his eyes and sat there, in silence. Only the sound of rain could be heard.

Hours seemed to pass before he was accompanied by a slim, curvaceous figure that stood by his side.

"Hiten, what are you doing out here?" She asked.

"Hmpf, I can go outside if I wish." He turned his head and looked forward.

"Ah," Akina looked out at the light shower of rain. "You always have loved the rain, haven't you?"

"Hai."

"You know, you really shouldn't get those bandages wet." Akina advised.

"Whatever." Hiten huffed.

"Back to your old self, I see." Akina replied as she sat a distance away from him at the next pillar.

The youthful youkai's eye reverted to Akina. "Something wrong? What? You think because I'm back to my old ways that I won't except you?"

"Um...." Was all the girl could muster.

"Get over here." Hiten commended.

"Hai." Akina walked over and sat by him.

"Much better." Hiten said quietly to himself. 

He put his arm firmly around Akina. "You're mine now."

Akina put a finger up to her red lips and blushed a slight pink. Hiten had never called her his before...After a few minuets of blushing, she leaned into Hiten's side. 

The youkai looked at her with a tough and protective look in his crimson eyes. " Just because I'm back to myself, doesn't mean that I am going to throw you out."

"What about Aida?" 

"She never mattered to me. It's hardly a comparison between the two of you." Hiten smiled his trademark smile. It was a good sign for Akina to see him returning to his old self.

"But, I couldn't compare to her...She was so pretty and she was your type. A youkai like you, and I am but a simple peasant girl who tended to warriors and polished weapons..." Akina spoke.

"Not a bad cook either." Hiten remarked.

Akina blushed to herself. She could feel their bodies close together and sought comfort and strength in Hiten. 

They sat there, in silence for a while and let their senses be intoxicated by the smell of the rain washed air. Neither one of them spoke to each other for about 30 minuets.

Finally, Hiten spoke up.

"Guess I'm not lonely anymore."

" Me neither." Akina looked up at him. "Do you think Inuyasha will be back for your Shikon Shards?"

"Hm?"

"Don't worry, I'll take care of him." The youth replied.

" Wait until you get better, okay?"

"................................."

Hiten said nothing, but seemed to make a silent promise to himself. He couldn't afford to make another false promise to himself or her, but he still wanted to avenge his brother's wrongful death at the hands of that hanyou.

How he despised Inuyasha, now more then ever. He had not only been the first to strike him and beat him in battle, but he and that Kagome girl had tried to split up his relationship with the one person he had cared for besides Manten and took his beloved brother from him. 

He was truly alone now, and the only person he had who truly understood him was Akina, and he wasn't about to let her go.

The youkai and human sat there on the porch in silence once again, just enjoying each other's company. 

Hiten had truly found someone who understood and loved him, despite who he was and he wasn't about to let her slip away from him.

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Well, there's another chapter completed. This is NOT the end, but I am making a sequel and I'd like to know how many of you would go and read it. Why not tell me in your reviews? Please R&R and tell me! 

Chapter 28 is coming soon!


	28. Release of Hidden Emotion

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Well, here I am again. It's been a while since I've worked on this fanfic. The last chapter just kind of left me at a blank, you know? But I'm back and no one noticed, because I'm so far ahead of chapters in this fic that it's truly unbelievable. Everyone's just now reading 23 or 24 and I'm just about to write chapter 28.

Oh, if you want to see the progress of my fanfics, please see my authoress page on ff.net.

Chapter 28: Release of Hidden Emotion

(Edited Version)

Hiten gazed at the small figure that he had held in his arms. She sat there, so beautiful. She was his, his mate. Akina was the one who would be with him forever, the one who would live on and, if she had wished, she would bear his child.

"Akina...." Hiten spoke, barely above a whisper.

"Yes, Hiten-sempai." She looked up at her mate.

"Domo arigato, for helping me. You're the only human to have ever done this for me. I have no idea what compels you to commit such an outstanding show of emotion towards me, but no matter what, you've always believed in me. I'm so blind....I couldn't see it before. It wasn't because you were afraid of me, granted you may have been at first. " The young man sighed, before returning his gaze to Akina. " I don't know why you love me, not that I'm in any condition to question your decision anyway. "

"I love you for you, and that's all you need to know. No matter how arrogant you were and no matter how violent you were, I knew you wouldn't hurt me. You might hit me or something, but I know you'd be too blinded by rage to know what you're doing." Akina sweetly smiled at the youkai, who, in turn tightened his grip on the young girl.

"I would never harm you, not even out of rage, besides...You'd have to do something to really piss me off for my rage to that bad. Akina...."

"Hai? Nani?" The girl questioned.

Hiten slowly lowered his head and gently and gave her a small nuzzle, and the young girl rested her head into his, enjoying the warmth that the two had shared.

Soon afterwards, Hiten produced a small hissing noise and flinched a bit in pain. The young man drew his hand up to his chest and felt the wet texture of the bandages. When he brought his hand back up, it was covered in blood.

"Damn it to the seven hells..." He muttered while observing his hand, which was glazed in the crimson substance.

"Oh, you're bleeding again..." Akina put her small, pale hands on either side of his wrist, then, with a heave, she helped the youthful youkai up to his feet.

"I should be getting you inside."

The two walked in the dreary looking building and once again, Hiten was lain in the futon.

Akina slowly took his upper clothing off, then she began to rip off pieces of the yukata that had been given to her by Hiten.

"What are you doing?" Hiten seemed to bit peeved that she'd destroy what he had given her as a gift.

"I'm sorry Hiten, there aren't any more bandages. I have to use something." She replied as she bandaged his side using the scraps of yukata. "That should hold out for a while."

Hiten's eyes went wide as he saw the fiery haired maiden begin to make the yukata shorten in length. It took several bandages to cover the wound, taking the yukata's length up to her mid-thigh. The braided man's eyes widened at the shortness of the yukata.

"But Akina-sempai..." He said incoherently, in an almost inaudible whisper.

"Hush now, you must rest." Akina told the youkai.

"But, Akina." He replied.

Only to get a finger put to his lips.

"Rest now." Akina replied. "I don't want to lose you again."

Understanding silently, Hiten slowly began to settle into a restful state for the youthful youkai.

Hiten fell into a deep sleep, resting his much needed rest.

The youkai rested for what seemed to be hours at a time, all the while Akina was going about the cleaning the abandoned hut, making it more presentable to live in. She had picked up the stray objects, including the dead body and any spare tools that happened to be laying around.

She drug the dead carcass outside and began to dig a hole with one of the many farming tools. Once she had dug a suitable hole, large enough to encase it in, she had buried the body and placed a few lonely flowers on the grave. Soon after, she had said a prayer, then departed for the hut once more.

The red haired maiden then began to look for any food that would be left to fix Hiten a suitable meal.

She looked about in all directions for food.

There was a few herbs and vegetables in the shelves and a few hanging out back to be dried. She gathered them up and put them in a safe place, where she'd remember where they were stored.

She pondered on what she could make with the few objects, and wondered if there were any money to get more, or buy something a little different at the market.

After having all of that done, she walked back to where the youkai was laying, this time, he was in a more of a fitful sleep.

He began to breath rather heavily, and clutched his chest, the center of the pain must be getting the best of him.

Poor guy, he's in so much pain. Akina thought. He's getting worse.

Hiten lay there, a single bead of sweat trickled down his right temple, soon to be washed away by a wet, cold cloth. The red haired maiden gently wiped the remaining sweat from him, opening his kimono a bit, to let him cool down.

She sat back upon her knees, watching the young man below her.

It seemed as if the youkai had been slowly growing worse over this amount of time.

Perhaps it would pass though. Youkai never got sick that easily, and if they did, it was surely a bad sign. Hiten often went through these sort of changes during his whole time of recovery. He would have a spell of going through immense pain, and then regaining himself and calming down.

But...

Akina had a bad thought about this one...

What if Hiten wasn't going to get better?

She would have to keep a positive attitude on this one.

But things looked grim for Hiten...

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Well, I'm finished with the edited chapter. There is an alternate chapter, it's not posted on any of the websites yet. When I get the chapter posted, I'll link you to the chapter that's alternate, but be forewarned it has adult content and a lemon scene.

This is the edited version, since ff.net won't allow NC-17 material.

Anyway, please be sure to review this chapter, even if it is a 'good job'. I love the reviews and I am really surprised at how well this fanfic has done. Thanks guys!

R&R


	29. Suffering

**Well, it's been long, hasn't it?  Sorry about the wait, but I've been wanting to post the alternate chapter of 28 up on the net, and I finally have, so for all of you lemon readers, here is the link, just remember to remove the spaces. ;**

**http****: /Fanfiction/Melissa /RaidenNoAiPart28.htm**

**Anyway, here is chapter 29 of Raiden no Ai the next to last chapter before I go onto the sequel!  Hooray for sequels!  Anyway, without further a due, here is my chapter 29 for you!**

**Oh, on another note, this fanfic was nominated by Inuyasha Fanguild for best Alternate Pairing!  It's a great honor to be a nominee of such a prestige award!  Thanks to Inu-Inu, who nominated me, and I wish much luck to all who are running for the same award as I!  Good luck everyone!**

**I had to change the dividers, because loves to eat them out of my fanfics.**

**………………**

**Raiden no Ai**

**Chapter 29:  Suffering**

**………………**

Hiten lay there, almost motionless.  His red orbs closed to the world as he lay there in a fitful sleep.  Every now and then, he would go into a fit of pain, his body shaking and trembling with much pain.  The thunder youkai would let out a cry of pain every now and then.  Akina would try her best to help quell the youkai's pain, sometimes it would work and sometimes there would be nothing she could do but watch and try to make Hiten as comfortable as possible.

Ever since Hiten had been injured in battle, Akina had thought she was experiencing a change in the youkai, not only for the better emotionally, but for the better physically.  She had tried many herbs and potions to try and help the braided man regain his perky edge, but none have worked so far.  He was still in the same shape and didn't seem to be improving.

The fiery haired maiden looked into the slumbering face of the man below her.  He was her mate.  She wasn't quite sure of what that meant to a youkai, but she was willing to find out.  Akina was willing to go that extra mile for him.  The maiden's point of view, since she met the Raijuu Brothers, had drastically changed.  It went from sheer fear of their strength and power, to a gentle love and understanding of the brothers.  They were misunderstood, and not nearly as bad as they seemed.  Sure, they were youkai, but they were people as well.  They had feelings and emotions, capable of being broken.

They were killers, and they slaughtered thousands of the innocent, but that was only one of the vast differences between youkai and human.  When she thought about it, wasn't that the reason they were misunderstood?

The maiden moved a few strands of hair from Hiten's face and gently ran a hand down the side of his face, feeling his soft flesh.

He was suffering.

The two resided there, in complete silence for a few moments, as the maiden pondered to herself.  Did Hiten really deserve this?

No, he didn't.

No one did.

Feudal Japan was a harsh time, she knew, but when people themselves didn't take the time to figure out things about other beings, it was a great cause for misconceptions.  It would be great if youkai and human could co-exist, but the dream was but that, a dream. 

**_'Hiten-sempai…Don't give up on me now.  You've come so far, and yet, you have a way to go.  I hope you recover, and when you do, I'll be right here, waiting for you.  We can live together, facing the cruel world, with each other to fall back on as comfort.  Youkai and human, together…'_**

****

Akina smiled and place her hands on either side of her face at that thought.  She liked that idea.

**_'Don't give up on life, you have yet to truly live!'_**

****

Akina kept thinking about the youthful youkai.

Ever since she met him, she had always feared him.  The very thought of his dark figure hovering above her small, weak presence sent chills of fear down her spine.  It was true, the Thunder Brothers scared the life out of her, and during her course of time as their servant, she had learned to understand them and get to know them – especially Hiten, the elder of the two.  Manten wasn't so bad and Aida was tolerable at least, until she tried to kill her. 

Were all female youkai that mean?

She supposed that she **did** kind of steal Hiten from her.

She was cut from her thoughts as the youkai below her let out a few, gurgling noises below her.   The maiden snapped into reality and looked down at the man below her.  Akina took quick action and began to gently massage his chest.  His breathing slowed a bit, and the sweat seemed to die down as well.  After a few minuets of pain, Hiten finally calmed down and only a heavy panting was heard as he lay in his fitful sleep.

Suffering…

He was suffering…

It was all Inuyasha's fault…

…

All Akina could do was watch from her short distance and assist Hiten in any way she could. 

…

**_' Oh_****_ Hiten-sempai…'_**

****

She made a face of worry and concern.  Hiten was hurt a lot worse then she had previously thought.  He might even die.  The red haired maiden shook her head, trying to rid all thoughts from her head.  Hiten can't die!  He just can't!   Akina would save him, that is the vow she took, and she would try her best to make absolute **_sure _**that the thunder youkai boy was going to live. 

Akina had wanted to have a family with the thunder youkai. 

But she was beginning to think that that idea was beyond all comprehension.

Nonetheless, she still had hope. 

_'I'll protect you, my sempai.  I'll always be there for you, no matter what and I'll never give up hope.  I know you can pull through, I know you can!  You're suffering now, but if you pull through, then everything will be all right from here on out.  We can live together and hopefully have a family, sure it might be hard at first, but I know we can pull through.'_

Akina smiled to herself at the thought of Hiten living and the confidence she was giving herself.

_'All Hiten has to do is get well………if he can…'_

**…………………………..**

**Well, the last chapter will come up in a while, but be warned, it will take a while because I have to write for the sequel, which will be called 'Fragment of Life II' Sorry for the wait, but I had to wait until the website updated so that I could put this chapter up.  I had to have the link to the alternate chapter so I could post it for the more mature readers of my fanfic.**

**Anyway, as always read, review and enjoy!  This is dedicated to all of those Hiten fans out there.  Oh, if you want to join a Hiten mailing list, here is the address.  Just remove the spaces.**

**Ragekijin**

**Thanks for over 1,000 reviews!  You guys are such great fans!  Review!**


	30. Death

**Well, here I am with the last chapter to Raiden no Ai.  Please take time out to review Fragment of Life II.  I know, I know, after you read this last chapter, you might be angry at me for what I've done and you might not even know how the hell I could make a sequel out of it, but trust me, I have plenty of things in mind for the sequel. **

**Here is the depressing conclusion to Raiden no Ai!**

**Japanese Dictionary**

**Sempai- A suffix used when referring to someone you hold dear to you.**

**Itooshi****- Beloved**

**…………**

**Raiden no Ai**

**Chapter 30: Death**

**…………**

Several days passed and Hiten's health didn't seem to be improving.  Akina sit there, faithfully by her mate's side, doing everything she can to aid him, but to no avail.  There seemed to be nothing she could do for him.

Helpless…

She hated that feeling.  All of her life she always seemed to helpless to aid people in their time of need.  The fiery haired maiden was helpless to aid the fallen warriors in her community, and she was helpless to save her villiage from the vicious brothers.   Now she felt helpless as well, and there was nothing she could do about it.  Nothing but bear it and hope for the best.

Hiten lay there, looking pale and sweating a great deal.  His breathing was ragged and crackling; every now and then, Akina would wipe him down with a wet cloth. 

After a while of a suffering sleep, Hiten finally awoke.  He opened his still tired red eyes half way and looked up at his mate.

"Akina…sempai…" Was all the tired and weak youkai could muster.  His voice sounded weak and gruff.  It wasn't loud and vibrant as it once had been.

His life force was fading.

"Yes, Hiten." Akina replied, voice fully of concern.

The braided man below her gazed into his mate's eyes, filled with confusion and a hint of fear. 

"Don't give up just yet!  Remember the plans we've made."   Hiten smiled a coy smile at Akina.

The red haired maiden gave a small smile back.  "Right."

_' My__ itooshi…'  _Akina thought to herself.  _'The only person who's ever truly made me happy, and who would have thought that it would have been a youkai who could have pleased me so.  I'm luck to have him, and now he's going to be taken away…'_

A few moments after Hiten fell asleep again; Akina went outside to walk around.  She had stayed inside with him for so long, she felt that she needed fresh air.  The girl walked outside on that same porch that she and Hiten held such memories on.  The same porch that they had sat on and discussed what different things about life meant to them.  They had many romantic moments, but also many moments of tension and sadness.

The girl sighed to herself as the many memories came back to her in not only pictorial form, but in the form of speech as well.

She looked to the sky, it was gray and the faint sound of thunder could be heard. 

_"Well, what kind of weather do you like?"  Akina asked._

_"Why do you care?" _

_"Just curious."__ Akina rolled over to look at Hiten.  She laid her head in her arm and  lay on her side.  The sun felt warm against the skin.  Hiten lay on his back with his arms behind his head and his eyes closed, basking in the warm rays.  _

_"If you really want to know, I like stormy weather." Hiten rolled over, his eyes still closed._

"You know Hiten; I think I'm beginning to like stormy weather too.  It puts a mind at ease, and the rain seems to purify one's soul."

Akina stood out there for quite sometime, as a light rain began to fall.  The sounds of the rain of the roof and the ground below her, seemed tranquil and comforting.  For those few moments, she was at rest.

That is…

Until she heard the faint voice of Hiten calling for her. 

Her eyes widened in fear.  She knew what was going to happen, so she rushed into the house, running through all of the rooms until she came to her mate, who was lying on the floor, covered in sweat and breathing heavily.

The fiery haired maiden rushed over and sat on the floor, beside of her mate. 

**"HITEN!"  **She called out.  "What's wrong?"

Hiten let out a few pain-filled coughs.  "Looks like we won't be able to get out revenge after all…"  He replied in a weak voice.

"What?"  Akina replied with tear filled eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Ai shiteru, Akina-sempai.  I'll never regret any moment I've lived with you.  You taught this cold hearted killer that there was something to appreciate in life, and that all humans didn't hate the youkai race.  You taught me how to love, not lust…"  The braided man murmured barely above a whisper.  "No matter what, you'll always be mine."

"Hiten, no!" Akina started to cry.  "Don't leave me!  I need you!  You're the only one whom was meant for me…My angelic demon…Like a dark angel whom fell from the sky into my arms."

"Don't cry…Akina."  The braided man replied.  "Crying is for the weak."

"Crying is for the one who has feeling and emotion…that's what crying is for."  Akina protested and held onto Hiten's hand, which was beginning to grow cold has his heartbeat faded.

Hiten sat up, with all of the strength that he could muster, and gave Akina one final kiss, before falling back down on the futon.

" Domo arigato for saving me.  I couldn't have done it without you.  Looks like you're going to have to get revenge on Inuyasha all by yourself.  Guess I'll see you in hell, right?"  He smiled.

Akina nodded, and finished his sentence with her own.  "Because heaven will not accept us…"

"You'll visit me, right?" 

"Of course I will.  We'll be reunited once again, in the stars." 

"I'll wait for you…"

With that final sentence said, Hiten's body want limp and all of the life force was gone.  Akina cried audibly, holding his body close to hers.  After a moment of crying her eyes out, she kissed Hiten's cold lips and said…

**"Darkness consumes everything, even one's life." **

**Owari**

****

**Well, that does it.  That's the end.  Yeah, I know, it was sad and depressing, wasn't it?   Sorry for the entire wait for the wait for the last chapter.  I wanted to put the link up for the alternate chapter 28.  They were going to update the chapter sooner, but their website was having problems.  **

**Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.  Try not to be too mad at me, there is a sequel and I encourage you to read it.  Hiten DOES come back.  Here is the link for the fanfic.  It's called Fragment of Life II   .  Here is the summary I've got for it.**

**" Your**** soul is bound to Naraku now.  You're his mindless zombie and beckon to his call, but I will free you, Hiten." – Quote from the story.  Akina.  Hiten/OC.  Sequel to Raiden no Ai.**

**Link:**


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